The CFO RoundTable is proud to announce our first event of the year, "Law School for the CFO," will take place on Wednesday, September 8th, at Babson University. Lawyers from Foley Hoag will provide an overview of the legal topics Chief Financial Officers must understand. This session will focus on current legal challenges faced by financial executives. This program will review:

• Practical Approaches to Litigation
• Crafting Credit Agreements
• Intellectual Property Strategies
• Employment Law Developments

Learning Objectives:

• After taking this course, attendees should understand:
• Practical approaches to managing litigation on a tight budget;
• Key issues in negotiating credit agreements (including in the current market environment) and how to avoid common traps for the unwary;
• The differences between trademarks, patents and copyrights and know when and how to seek protection for each; and
• The implications of current employment law initiatives and developments, including the impact in MA of federal health care reform, new MA CORI law, non-compete legislation update and new DOL and EEOC investigation initiatives. 

Panelists include:

David Pierson, Partner
David is a partner in the Business Department and chairs the firm’s Venture Capital/Emerging Companies Practice Group. He represents a broad range of companies in a variety of industries, including companies in the software and technology, life sciences and cleantech industries. He advises these clients on a range of matters, including corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, general corporate and contract matters. His practice includes providing advice to emerging companies regarding corporate formation, founder arrangements, angel and venture capital financings, equity incentive plans and strategic transactions. David also represents U.S. and foreign venture capital firms in connection with their investments throughout the U.S. 

Brandon White, Partner
Brandon White represents public and private companies, as well as individual clients, in litigation involving securities fraud allegations and corporate governance issues. He has defended corporations, officers and directors in shareholders’ class actions, derivative lawsuits and government and industry investigations. Brandon also represents investors, including individuals, in securities claims. In addition to his securities work, Brandon represents a variety of clients in intellectual property and competition disputes and litigates the full gamut of business tort and contract cases.

Brandon’s litigation experience encompasses state and federal courts in a variety of jurisdictions, including the Delaware Chancery Court, the Southern District of New York, and the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He also represents corporate and individual clients in arbitrations under the auspices of the National Association of Securities Dealers and the American Arbitration Association.

Prior to joining Foley Hoag, Brandon was Law Clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

Malcom Henderson, Partner
Malcolm Henderson’s practice focuses on corporate finance and bank lending. He also advises clients on general corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments.

Malcolm has extensive experience representing lenders and borrowers in secured and unsecured debt financings, including syndicated senior bank credit facilities, first and second lien financings, mezzanine and other subordinated debt financings, debtor-in-possession financings, public and Rule 144A debt offerings, and convertible debt transactions. He routinely handles debt and equity financings for acquisitions and leveraged recapitalizations. He also advises lessees in leveraged equipment lease transactions.

On the corporate side, Malcolm represents buyers and sellers in mergers and in stock and asset acquisitions, and advises private equity and venture capital clients on their investments. He also counsels emerging technology companies on formation, capitalization and general corporate matters.

Before joining Foley Hoag, Malcolm was associated with Winthrop Stimson (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman) in New York City. 

Julia Huston, Partner
Julia Huston, Partner in Foley Hoag LLP’s Intellectual Property Department and Chair of the firm’s Trademark, Copyright and Unfair Competition practice group, is well known for her high-profile victories in trademark, copyright and false advertising cases.

Julia’s practice includes litigation, counseling and strategy in the areas of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, Internet commerce, domain name piracy, false advertising, unfair competition, and patents. Julia has handled major trademark matters for the owners of famous trademarks in a variety of industries. She has successfully advocated for brand owners as diverse as a major university to a popular Boston tourist attraction. Julia has obtained several multimillion-dollar IP judgments and settlements, including a $20.7 million verdict in a false advertising case. She regularly advocates on behalf of clients in federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and in national and international domain name dispute resolution proceedings.

In the context of corporate transactions, Julia leads due diligence teams that thoroughly investigate, and assist clients in assessing the value of, intellectual property being acquired. Julia also provides comprehensive advice concerning protection of intellectual property rights in licensing and assignment transactions. Julia’s experience extends to the commercialization of personal names and rights of publicity, as well as more traditional trademarks and copyrights.

In addition to litigation and transactional work, Julia regularly counsels clients on developing long-term strategies for their IP portfolios. She has particular experience in the consumer products, electronics, software and Internet, entertainment and education segments. Julia’s extensive experience in litigation and dispute resolution enables her to build her clients’ IP portfolios strategically with an eye toward enforcement and defense for maximum advantage in the marketplace.

Prior to joining Foley Hoag, Julia was Chair of the Trademark Practice group at a major intellectual property boutique in Boston. 

Michael Rosen, Partner
Michael Rosen has more than 15 years of experience representing employers in every aspect of the employment relationship. His practice focus is dual: he litigates every kind of employment-related dispute; and he regularly counsels employers on all of the strategic and day-to-day issues relating to their employees.

Michael has extensive experience in litigating and advising clients about non-competition, non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements, as well as related issues of unfair competition, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duty. He has successfully assisted employers in the financial services, consulting, manufacturing, software and life sciences industries with actions involving the enforcement of restrictive agreements. In many of these cases, his expertise with computer forensics issues has enabled clients to achieve successful outcomes. Michael also helps departing employees and hiring employers in achieving their business goals when confronted with potential application of restrictive agreements.  Michael authors the Massachusetts Noncompete Law Blog.

Michael regularly counsels employers on a range of employment law matters, such as employment contracts, harassment, leave-of-absence issues, employee handbooks, employee screening, workforce reductions, training and severance agreements.

Michael has served as lead counsel in defending claims of age, disability, race and gender discrimination under state and federal laws, as well as claims brought under the Family and Medical Leave Act, FLSA, state wage and hour laws, and ERISA. He regularly represents employers before federal and state equal opportunity commissions, such as the EEOC and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. In addition, he handles general employment litigation involving such issues as breach of employment contract and wrongful termination. 

Other Information:

• Program Level: Advanced
• Recommended CPE: 3.6
• Program Prerequisites: None
• Advanced Preparation: None
• Delivery Method: Group - Live

The CFO RoundTable is registered with the National Association of State Boards-of-Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors.  State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.  Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417.  Website:  www.nasba.org