Haseeb Qureshi (HQ) is a Tennessee licensed attorney specializing in startup and entrepreneurial law. Being a self-taught full-stack software developer, HQ currently holds a software patent within the live music realm and was a founder of a past music technology company (Audiohand).

HQ is a Lecturer with the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship at the Haslam College of Business at University of Tennessee and serves as the Director of Startup Studio, an on-campus startup incubator with the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. His primary instruction focuses on entrepreneurship (ENT 350, ENT 451) and he provides faculty advisement to student business initiatives. As a teacher, HQ is known for his creative and experiential learning approaches, maintaining high student reviews and balanced grade distributions.

As founder and CEO of Forthlaw PLLC, HQ is reimagining legal services and their accessibility for modern entrepreneurs and small business owners. Using technology and business model innovation, his practice emphasizes building long-term relationships and creating solutions for clients in a process of addressing issues more broadly in society. Forthlaw reflects HQ's commitment to seeing entrepreneurs and business owners worldwide try to be a part of the solution, as opposed to doing nothing and being part of the problem by default.

"I didn't want to do the same thing before. Something had to change. That's why I made Forthlaw and pivoted away from the traditional law firm. Really that was for me and my family."

HQ holds a B.S. in Business Administration & Psychology (University Honors) from Carnegie Mellon University and a J.D. from University of Tennessee College of Law, where he focused on Entrepreneurship, Music, and Internet Law. He has been a Tennessee licensed attorney since 2011, and a self-taught coder since 2000. During his education at Carnegie Mellon, he demonstrated his leadership abilities by raising over $30,000 in private funds to support alternative programs and managing the school's professional recording studio.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Audiohand, a music technology company that developed innovative solutions for the live music industry, culminating in a software patent. Before establishing Forthlaw, HQ gained valuable legal experience with Morehous Legal Group, where he honed his skills in legal practice and client representation while developing his vision for a more accessible and technology-driven approach to legal services.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HQ demonstrated his commitment to community service by collaborating with the Mayor's Office to host a CARES Act Webinar, providing critical guidance to local businesses navigating federal pandemic relief options. This initiative helped numerous Knoxville businesses access much-needed funding during an unprecedented economic crisis, showcasing HQ's dedication to leveraging his legal expertise for community benefit.

Beyond his teaching and legal practice, HQ is actively involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a speaker, judge, and panelist. He has served as a judge for VolCourt (2019), presented seminars on legal structures and intellectual property, spoken at business accelerator competitions, and participated in panels on topics ranging from corporate structures to entrepreneurship media. He has also contributed to discussions on immigration and diversity as part of UT's Diversity & Inclusion Week.

As the host of #FounderFridays, HQ regularly connects with entrepreneurs in the Knoxville area, creating a space for authentic conversations about the entrepreneurial journey. His combined expertise in law, technology, and business makes him uniquely positioned to guide startups through their legal and growth challenges.

You can reach out to HQ via email ([email protected]) or via LinkedIn and Instagram.