Her Story
About Korina
Karina Buford serves as an associate at Sidman and Bancroft in San Francisco. In her role, she divides her time between trademark applications, office actions, and infringement matters in the intellectual property practice and typical breach of contract and general business litigation issues. Buford began her legal career path in 2021, accumulating five years of experience that includes law school and prior internships. She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2024, having earned her undergraduate degree as a philosophy major at UC Santa Barbara. During law school, she participated in the intellectual property clinic, gaining recognition from the USPTO to represent clients, and her moot court team achieved third place in brief writing among 35 California law schools. She is currently obtaining a certificate in artificial intelligence and intellectual property practice from the International Trademark Association. Buford has had the opportunity to attend two trials early in her career, which she credits to her firm's support and her expressed interest in such experiences.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Korina
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is not being afraid to ask questions. The fear of feeling dumb or sounding dumb shouldn't be the reason why you don't ask questions. Asking questions at the outset saves a lot of time, especially in the legal field where time is the crux of your value. If you don't ask and do something wrong, you spend way too much time on it and might have to do it again.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The best advice I could give is never ever give up. My dad always instilled that in me. In law school there was a lot of comparison and times I felt discouraged or behind, but I kept knocking, putting myself out there, going to networking events, and pushing through even when I felt behind during bar prep after my car was stolen. The spirit of perseverance is the most important thing.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Family is huge for me. My dad is one of my biggest role models, a two-time cancer survivor who instilled perseverance. Family is my North Star when I feel lost or need to be grounded. I was also raised with a relationship with God, which grounds me, especially before tests when my family prays for me, and we celebrated bar results together praising God.
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