Need to Know: Topics for the Government and Public Sector Attorney (2023 Government & Public Sector Section Program)

8:55 Welcome and Introductions

9:00 Business Law for Government Lawyers: Part I

Eugene S. "Scott" Bowers IV, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Raleigh
Jeffrey R. Wolfe, Schell Bray PLLC, Winston-Salem

Government and public sector attorneys deal with businesses in a variety of ways, including contracting, licensing, and permitting and zoning. Learn about business law basics as this session explores pertinent issues: Does the type of business entity affect how you write a contract or permit? What is the impact of a merger, acquisition, or change of business entity? What is the effect of a business dissolution or revenue suspension?

10:30 Break

10:40 Business Law for Government Lawyers: Part II

Ciara L. Rogers, Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC, Raleigh

Do you know what to do when your government client receives a business bankruptcy notice? This session provides clarity on what to do when your clients receive such a notice from a debtor, permittee, licensee or other business.

11:10 Lunch Break

12:25 Governor's General Counsel

Eric Fletcher, North Carolina Governor's Office, Raleigh
Edwin M. "Eddie" Speas Jr., Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh

Gain insight into the legal and other roles and responsibilities of a Governor's General Counsel. Discover how the Governor's General Counsel interacts with other state and local governments and public sector attorneys, when it is appropriate to contact a Governor's General Counsel directly about a legal issue, and if there is a difference in representation of a Governor who is or isn't an attorney.

1:25 Break

1:35 The Future Is Now as Changing Population Demographics Affect Our Law Practice

David N. Kirkman, NC Department of Justice (retired), Raleigh
Misty L. Piekaar-McWilliams, NC Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh

Explore and think about legal issues that will affect us and our clients as our population ages, such as fraud targeted at seniors, and laws and ordinances establishing and modifying government services. Then discuss the impacts on your clients and your practice, including shrinking jury pools due to age-related exceptions, taxes, transportation, housing, and other aspects of the aging population.

3:35 Break

3:45 Ethics: The Organization as Client and the Duty to Go Up the Ladder^*

Nichole P. McLaughlin, NC State Bar, Raleigh

All attorneys who represent organizations must carefully balance their ethical duties to the organization, its officials and employees. Hear about the delicate ethical balance government and public sector attorneys often face when elected officials may not understand that the attorneys' ethical obligation is first to the organization.

4:45 Adjourn

* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit

Description

Ben Franklin said, "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest," and this program pays high interest for the government and public sector attorney who invests the time to learn.

Contributors

Eugene S. "Scott" Bowers IV

Eugene S. "Scott" Bowers IV is a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP in Raleigh. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, strategic corporate transactions, and corporate finance. He is a trusted advisor to his clients, understanding their businesses and giving priority to their strategic objectives in crafting tailored, effective, and efficient solutions to particular transactions.

As part of his practice, Scott regularly acts for clients in a number of outside general counsel roles ranging from representation in complex commercial contracting engagements to providing guidance in corporate governance and general business law matters. He has represented clients in a number of industry sectors, and has particular experience in the fields of technology, manufacturing, agriculture, education, and renewable energy.

Scott's practice is international in scope. He represents international clients in United States in-bound acquisitions and strategic transactions, and has represented a number of clients in multiple transactions centered in China, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, as well as transactions involving subsidiary operations in a number of other countries.

Scott earned his B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from The University of Alabama School of Law.

Click here for more information about Scott.
Kathryn Cooper

Kathryn Cooper is the Senior Associate City Attorney at the Raleigh City Attorney's Office in Raleigh. She practices environmental, energy, and municipal law and provides a broad range of legal services to the City Council, the City Manager and City Officials and staff in conducting the City's business.

Kathryn spent the majority of her career with the NC Department of Justice rising to Special Deputy Attorney General, a position she held for over 23 years.

Kathryn earned her A.B. in African American Studies, Government and Economics from Smith College and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Click here for more information about Kathryn.
Eric Fletcher

Eric Fletcher is General Counsel to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper at the North Carolina Governor's Office in Raleigh.

Prior to joining the Governor's Office, Eric was a partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP and an associate at WilmerHale in Boston.

Eric earned his B.A., with highest honors and highest distinction, in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

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David N. Kirkman

David N. Kirkman is the former (retired) Special Deputy Attorney General at the NC Department of Justice in Raleigh. He is more recently the author of "Elder Fraud Wars".

David earned his B.A., cum laude, in History from Davidson College and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

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Nichole P. McLaughlin

Nichole P. McLaughlin has been employed as a staff attorney with the North Carolina State Bar since June 2004. Originally from New Jersey, she graduated from Drew University with a B.A. in English. She earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.

As Assistant Ethics Counsel, Nicole gives informal ethics advice to lawyers about their own future conduct via telephone or email, prepares formal ethics opinions and advises the Ethics Committee. Nichole is also the Judicial District Bar Liaison, a role created to improve communication between the State Bar and judicial district bars.

Prior to joining the State Bar, she was in private practice for five years with Donaldson & Black PA in Greensboro and handled asbestos workers' comp cases.

Click here for more information about Nichole.
Misty L. Piekaar-McWilliams

Misty L. Piekaar-McWilliams is with the NC Department of Health and Human Services in Raleigh.
Ciara L. Rogers

Ciara L. Rogers is a partner at Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC in Raleigh. Her practice focuses on Debtors' and Creditors' Rights, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Representing Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees, serving as a Subchapter-V Trustee, General Litigation, and Employment Law.

Before joining Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey, PLLC, Ciara was an attorney with the Law Offices of Oliver & Cheek. Prior to that, she was a law clerk to the Honorable J. Rich Leonard and the Honorable Randy D. Doub of the Eastern District of North Carolina, Bankruptcy Court. During law school, she interned with the Bankruptcy Administrator's Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Ciara is a member of the North Carolina and Virginia State Bars and the North Carolina Bar Association. She is also certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the North Carolina State Bar.

Ciara earned dual B.S degrees in History and Political Science from Averett University and her J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Click here for more information about Ciara.
Edwin M. "Eddie" Speas Jr.

Edwin M. "Eddie" Speas Jr. is a partner at Poyner Spruill LLP in Raleigh. For decades he has represented clients in significant matters regarding legislative and congressional redistricting, educational and tax policies and practices, employment practices, and other issues.

Eddie joined Poyner Spruill in 2003 after 32 years in the Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina where he served as Chief Deputy Attorney General and led those sections of the Attorney General's Office responsible for representing public officials in complex and controversial litigation, for representing North Carolina's public school system and for representing the University of North Carolina. In 2008, he was appointed General Counsel for Governor Bev Perdue. He returned to Poyner Spruill in 2011.

Eddie served in the US Army Reserve and the NC National Guard from 1969 to 1981.

Eddie earned B.A. from Wake Forest University and his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Click here for more information about Eddie.
Ann B. Wall

Ann B. Wall is General Counsel for the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State in Raleigh. She has served as an attorney in the North Carolina Departments of Justice and Labor, as well as the National Labor Relations Board. She has provided advice regarding public records requests, open meetings and records retention issues during her years of State and federal service.

Anne is a member and past chair of the Administrative Law and Government and Public Sector Sections of the NCBA. She is a past recipient of what is now called the Grainger Barrett Award for Excellence awarded by the Government and Public Sector Section. She is also a member of the Business, Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities, Corporate Counsel, Criminal Justice, Labor and Employment Law and Litigation Sections. She is a member of the ABA and several of its sections, and of the NC Association of Women Attorneys.

Anne's undergraduate and law degrees are from Meredith College and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill respectively.

Click here for more information about Ann.
Jeffrey R. "Jeff" Wolfe

Jeffrey R. "Jeff" Wolfe is of Special Counsel with Schell Bray PLLC in Winston-Salem. He focuses his practice on all stages of the for-profit and non-profit business cycle, including entity formation, raising capital, daily contract needs, and strategic exits. He has advised companies of every size, from early-stage startups and small consulting companies to large public companies, on matters including complex mergers and acquisitions and private and public equity offerings.

In addition to providing legal services, Jeff enjoys mentoring and coaching business leaders on legal and non-legal matters. He has served as a counselor with the Forsyth Tech Small Business Center; a mentor with Velocity, an accelerator for creative entrepreneurs; and is involved with Winston Starts, a local entrepreneurial community.

Jeff earned his B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University Bloomington and his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Click here for more information about Jeff.

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Description

Contributors

Eugene S. "Scott" Bowers IV

Kathryn Cooper

Eric Fletcher

David N. Kirkman

Nichole P. McLaughlin

Misty L. Piekaar-McWilliams

Ciara L. Rogers

Edwin M. "Eddie" Speas Jr.

Ann B. Wall

Jeffrey R. "Jeff" Wolfe