8:25 Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:55 Welcome and Introductions
9:00 Legal Entity Choice
Jeffrey R. "Jeff" Wolfe, Schell Bray PLLC, Greensboro
This session covers the basics of legal entity formation, including the reasons and purposes behind forming an entity. Walk through the different legal and tax structures available when forming an entity and discuss how those decisions impact various events in the life of an entity, including ownership changes, financing needs, employee management and exit events.
9:45 Break
9:55 Corporation Organization and Operations
Stephen F. Later, Robbins May & Rich LLP, Pinehurst
Gain insights about the critical decisions in organizing and operating a corporation, including choice of jurisdiction of incorporation; corporate ownership, capital and management structure; articles of incorporation; optional charter provisions; bylaws; organizational meeting; initial and ongoing filing and reporting requirements; shareholder and restrictive stock agreements; corporate housekeeping; meetings of directors and shareholders; charter and bylaw amendments; stock transfers; foreign qualification; and dissolution and liquidation.
10:55 Break
11:05 Basics of Employment Law
Elizabeth R. Gift, Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC, Charlotte
From discrimination and wage and hour concerns to leave laws and non-compete agreements, this interactive session seeks to provide attendees with a foundation for understanding and addressing common employment law concerns relevant to any North Carolina employer.
11:50 Lunch Break
12:50 Basics of Business Taxation
Katie A. Lawson, The Law Office of Katie A. Lawson PLLC, Durham
Join us for a high-level overview of the taxation of business entities, with a focus on explaining common tax types that are shared by all business entities. Learn the tax advantages and tax pitfalls for each entity type to address general tax questions and advise business clients to choose the business structure that works best for the business.
1:50 Break
2:00 Issue Spotting: Overview of Common Intellectual Property (IP) Issues for Non-IP Attorneys
Douglas W. "Doug" Meier, NK Patent Law PLLC, Raleigh
Join us for an overview of common IP issues that you may run into when representing your business clients. We cover issues that often arise in patent, copyright, trademark and trade-secret contexts. Also, learn about fact patterns that lead to common IP issues. And lastly, we highlight important considerations for discussing these issues with your clients.
2:30 Break
2:40 Merger and Acquisition Transactions
Brandy B. Milazzo, Ascension Law, Charlotte
This session provides an overview of merger and acquisition transactions.
3:25 Break
3:35 The New Normal: Beneficial Ownership Reporting and Filing Obligations Under the Corporate Transparency Act
Andrew D. Steffensen, Schell Bray PLLC, Greensboro
This discussion focuses on the extensive beneficial ownership reporting and filing obligations of reporting companies under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). In particular, we discuss the entities subject to the reporting and filing obligations of the CTA, the individuals required to be identified in beneficial ownership reports, exclusions from the reporting and filing requirements of the CTA, and the information required to be disclosed in beneficial ownership reports.
4:20 Break
4:30 Ethics for the Business Lawyer*
William S. "Will" Graebe, Lawyers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of NC, Cary
Business law practitioners face unique ethical challenges in their daily practices. It is often difficult to determine who your client is. Many times, conflicts of interest are subtle. Business lawyers must navigate difficult confidentiality and privilege issues where outside consultants and advisors are involved in a transaction. Transactional attorneys must also now deal with the ethical issues associated with the Corporate Transparency Act and generative AI. This ethics session addresses these issues and many other ethical concerns common to all attorneys.
5:30 Adjourn
* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit