Business, Law and Economics Channel – Speaker Series

Private Equity Speaker Series

William Sorabella, Kirkland & Ellis LLP; David Feirstein, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Date: 02/24/2015
Duration: 00:59
Description:
M&A experts William Sorabella and David Feirstein discussed how they structured and negotiated several high-stakes transactions over the past year, most notably the $11B union between Burger King and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons to create the world’s third largest fast-food company. The deal required novel structuring and negotiating under tight time deadlines in the context of Presidential and Congressional scrutiny of tax motivated mergers.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

M&A Speaker Series

Michael de la Merced, New York Times; Evelyn Rusli, Wall Street Journal; Kevin Roose, Fusion

Date: 02/19/2015
Duration: 1:00
Description:
Three of the country’s top business journalists – from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Fusion – talked about the increasing importance of media in M&A transactions; the role of the media in corporate America and their personal experiences reporting on the largest companies in the world, including Facebook, Google and Twitter.

The M&A speaker Series is co-sponsored by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Shareholder Activism Speaker Series

TARIQ MUNDIYA, WILKIE FARR & GALLAGHER LLP

Date: 02/18/2015
Duration: 00:54
Description:
Tariq Mundiya discussed his representation of Dan Loeb and his hedge fund, Third Point LLC, as they seek to replace corporate boards of directors, as well as Facebook in its IPO litigation and other cases that he has handled as one of the nation’s go-to litigators for shareholder activism and takeovers.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Venture Capital Speaker Series

Ted Wang, Fenwick & West LLP

Date: 01/26/2015
Duration: 57:56
Description: Ted Wang represents emerging companies, venture capitalists, venture backed company CEOs and investment banks involved in a wide range of technologies with a focus on consumer Internet, e-commerce and software sectors. His practice ranges from the formation of new start-up companies through venture capital financings to public offerings, with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions. Ted is a leader in efforts to standardize financing documents and is the curator of the Series Seed Documents.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Women in M&A Practice

Diane Frankle, Kaye Scholer LLP & Jennifer Muller, Houlihan Lokey

Date: 11/24/2014
Duration: 01:08
Description: A recent study by our panelists confirms anecdotal reports that a wide gender gap persists in law firm M&A practices. Our panelists, accomplished M&A legal and financial analysis experts, discussed what M&A lawyers do, strategies law schools and law firms can take to generate more interest in M&A, and how students and young lawyers can succeed in the field.
Sponsor(s): Boalt Hall Women’s Association
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

A Conversation With Adrian Dollard

Adrian Dollard, Qatalyst Partners

Date: 11/17/2014
Duration: 01:03
Description: Adrian Dollard spoke about the role of investment banks in mergers and acquisitions transactions as well as his own experiences as both a lawyer and one of the founding partners at Qatalyst Partners, one of the leading investment banks in the technology space.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

A Conversation With Randall J. Baron

Randall J. Baron, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd

Date: 11/10/2014
Duration: 52:45
Description: Randy Baron is one of the leading plaintiffs’ attorneys with respect to M&A litigation. He spoke about the role and responsibilities of plaintiffs counsel and the recent surge in M&A litigation.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

A Conversation With William H. Hinman

William H. Hinman, Simpson Thacher

Date: 10/29/2014
Duration: 01:03
Description: Bill Hinman is one of the leading capital markets attorneys in America. He spoke about his personal experiences, including his recent representation of Alibaba in the largest IPO of all-time.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Smart Course Planning: What to Take in Business Law and Why

Date: 10/23/2014
Duration: 56:28
Description: BCLB sponsored an information session about the business and tax law courses at Berkeley Law, presented by the faculty. The session reviewed the Spring 2015 classes and highlighted new course offerings. The program also reviewed the Business Law Certificate requirements (https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/business/curriculum/) for JD and LLM students.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Can A Corporation Change the World and Make A Profit?

Vivienne Harr and Eric Harr, Make a Stand, Inc.

Date: 09/29/2014
Duration: 40:06
Description: With the power of social media, eleven-year-old Vivienne Harr launched one lemonade stand into a global movement to combat child slavery. “Make a Stand,” a socially innovative lemonade company, is a leading example of a new wave of hybrid “benefit” corporations dedicated to making charity their sales pitch. The company now sells their fair trade, organic beverages online and in stores all over the world, dedicating five-percent of all gross revenues to leading organizations working to eradicate child slavery worldwide. Twitter gave Vivienne the honor of ringing the bell at their IPO in New York on November 7, 2013—because executives believe Vivienne is a symbol of how Twitter can be used to change the world. Now Make a Stand has launched the Make a Stand app designed to revolutionize giving through crowd funding. Vivienne and Eric talked about their company, one of the new wave in social purpose benefit corporations.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Clip 1: Centennial Celebration of the Federal Reserve

Louise L. Roseman, Director, Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payments System, The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Date: 09/12/2014
Duration: 19:06
Description: This seminar provided an overview of the important role that the Fed plays in the payments system, and looked at innovation in financial technologies that portend a new era in payments, clearing and digital currencies.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Clip 2: Centennial Celebration of the Federal Reserve

Louise L. Roseman, Director, Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payments System, The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Date: 09/12/2014
Duration: 09:00
Description: This seminar provided an overview of the important role that the Fed plays in the payments system, and looked at innovation in financial technologies that portend a new era in payments, clearing and digital currencies.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Clip 3: Centennial Celebration of the Federal Reserve

James D. Aramanda, President & CEO, The Clearing House Association & Payments Company

Date: 09/12/2014
Duration: 27:00
Description: This seminar provided an overview of the important role that the Fed plays in the payments system, and looked at innovation in financial technologies that portend a new era in payments, clearing and digital currencies.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The French Revolution of Close Corporation: A Model for Europe?

Prof. Pierre-Henri Conac, Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance, University of Luxembourg

Date: 08/24/2014
Duration: 01:08
Description: Professor Conac of the University of Luxembourg discussed French laws related to close corporations, and how two waves of reform over the past 20 years have enhanced competitiveness and flexibility. Prof. Conac provided examples of how other EU Member States have adopted similar reforms or otherwise been inspired by those in France. He further discussed the dynamics at play in Europe, where the reforms are likely headed, and their limits.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Smart Course Planning: What to Take in Business Law and Why

Ken Taymor, Eric Talley & Robert Bartlett

Date: 04/15/2014
Duration: 1:02
Description: BCLB held an information session about the business law courses at Berkeley Law presented by Ken Taymor, Eric Talley and Robert Bartlett. The session previewed the Spring 2014 classes and highlighted new course offerings. This was an opportunity for students to learn how business law courses meet their interests and prepare them for professional practice, whether in a firm, government or NGO position. The program also reviewed the Business Law Certificate requirements.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

BBLJ/BCLB Symposium: Shareholder Activism

Panel 2: Hot-Button Issues – How Should We Interpret the Current State of Play?

Date: 04/04/2014
Duration: 00:20
Description: What are some of the recent developments that have shaped the current landscape? Have the recent disclosure regulations changed the way companies deal with activists? Should there be more regulation addressing complexity and transparency of financial derivatives? Is there value to be derived from activist campaigns with a short-term strategy? How do boards assess their options? What has been the effect of activist campaigns on M&A activity?
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
and Berkeley Center for Law and Business

BBLJ/BCLB Symposium: Shareholder Activism

Panel 1: Shareholder Activism – Bird’s-Eye View

Date: 04/04/2014
Duration: 01:10
Description: Who are the Activists and what do they want? How has the typical activist profile evolved in recent years? What are the means that they use to achieve these objectives? Dealing with an activist from the corporate side – deciding whether to engage or employ defensive measures.
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
and Berkeley Center for Law and Business

BBLJ/BCLB Symposium: Shareholder Activism

Panel 3: Future of Shareholder Activism – Where Do We Go From Here?

Date: 04/04/2014
Duration: 01:19
Description: How has the emergence of private equity funds as activists changed the corporate landscape? How have the tactics evolved in response to the changing activist profile? Are the appraisal/dissenters’ rights the new frontier in litigation? What regulatory and Delaware law changes can we expect in the future? Emergence of shareholder activism in the developing countries – what does this mean for the rest of the world and for trends in global M&A activity? 
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
and Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Social Enterprise Law Symposium: Financing Social Enterprises: From Start-up through Exit

Panel 2: Exit

Date: 04/03/2014
Duration: 00:58
Description: Overcoming challenges later stage financing and “exit” present to mission-driven enterprises
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Social Enterprise Law Symposium: Financing Social Enterprises: From Start-up through Exit

Panel 1: Early-Stage Financing & Mission Preservation

Date: 04/03/2014
Duration: 01:11
Description: Preserving mission through start-up and early stage financing
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Regulation and the Future of Money: Mobile Payments and Virtual Currencies

Thomas Brown, Paul Hastings

Date: 04/02/2014
Duration: 00:50
Description: Bitcoin is just one of the technologies that are rapidly disrupting how people store and move value. Mobile communications and cryptography, in particular, are changing how we define value and authenticate transactions. Regulation, for better or worse, is playing and will continue to play a substantial role in how this industry evolves. Thomas Brown brought his decades of experience to describe the evolution of payment systems innovations from credit cards to the new world of mobile payment systems and virtual currencies.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Compliance Risks and Pitfalls In China

Gregory Wajnowski, GE Energy

Date: 03/14/2014
Duration: 1:02
Description: What are we to make of the recent GlaxoSmithKline bribery scandal in China? It has brought revenue down 60%, mired its executives in a seemingly endless struggle with the authorities and even forced David Cameron to weigh in on the company’s behalf on his recent trip to Beijing. This and other recent scandals in China underscore the need for companies doing business there to understand and manage the risks associated with common business practices that are prohibited by US and Chinese law. Mr. Wajnowski took us through some of these risks and common practices and explained what companies are doing to ensure that they can compete effectively while still being compliant with applicable laws. Gregory Wajnowski is currently Managing Director – Mergers & Acquisitions and Chief Supervisor – Joint Ventures for GE Energy in Greater China and Mongolia. His responsibilities include providing legal guidance and support for mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures and for overseeing GE Energy’s numerous joint ventures in China.
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal and Center for Chinese Studies
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Regulation in the Post-Reform Era

Eugene Ludwig/Promontory Financial Group

Date: 02/24/2014
Duration: 01:00
Description: From the Civil War to the savings & loan meltdown, U.S. financial regulation has been shaped by cycles  of crisis and reform. What do changes like the Dodd-Frank Act mean for the evolution of the American regulatory model, and for global priorities like financial inclusion and development? Eugene Ludwig, founder and CEO of Promontory Financial Group, former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, and former vice chairman and senior control officer of Bankers Trust/Deutsche Bank, will place these changes in the context of earlier reforms, including the interstate banking, financial holding company, and community reinvestment policy changes of the 1990s.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Is Venture Finance in China Possible?

Arman Zand/SPD Silicon Valley Bank

Date: 10/02/2013
Duration: 01:00
Description: Within the last few months China has taken steps to liberalize restrictions on interest rates, a move that may signify serious reform in its inefficient financial system and a more rational allocation of capital. The reform already includes efforts to increase lending to the private sector and venture business. At this event, Arman Zand, Head of Technology and Finance at SPD Silicon Valley Bank in Shanghai, will analyze these challenges and opportunities, while also exploring some of the highs and lows of doing business in a fluctuating economic and social environment.
Sponsor(s): Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and Center for Chinese Studies
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Change in Financial Services Regulation? You Can Bank On It!

Karol Sparks/Barack Ferrazzano, Sara Kelsey/Law Office of Sara A. Kelsey

Date: 09/25/2013
Duration: 01:06
Description: In this lunchtime program for students, Ms. Sparks and Ms. Kelsey draw on their careers in counseling financial services companies to provide an introduction to the opportunities and challenges of practice in this dynamic field. They will discuss how financial services regulation is ever evolving and the impact this constant of change has had on their careers. This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn about an industry and government regulation that permeates business law practice, inevitably impacts their private lives (as consumers and borrowers) and offers great career opportunities.
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The First Five Years of China’s Antimonopoly Law

Nathan Bush, O’Melveny & Myers

Date: 04/15/2013
Duration: 1:05
Description: China’s first comprehensive competition statute, the Antimonopoly Law (AML), took effect on August 1, 2008. Since then, China has emerged as a significant antitrust jurisdiction as its competition authorities have blocked or imposed conditions on worldwide mergers, fined foreign cartels, and
even challenged the commercial practices of some state-owned enterprises. Mr. Bush, a partner in the Beijing and Singapore office of O’Melveny & Myers, will assess the first five years of Chinese antitrust enforcement under the AML and future directions of Chinese competition policy under the new Xi Jinping government.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Social Entrepreneurship: Legal, Financial and Public Policy Dimensions

Jordan Breslow/New Island Capital, R. Todd Johnson/ Jones Day, Vince Siciliano/New Resource Bank, Jonathan Storper/Hanson Bridgett, Kyle Westaway/Westaway Law

Date: 04/03/2013
Duration: :59
Description: Over the last decade, a rapidly growing topic of discussion and debate has been that of “social entrepreneurship” — the creation of, investment in, and management of business ventures that seek both profitability and the pursuit of larger socially desirable goals not captured by shareholder returns such as environmental responsibility, increased literacy, and poverty reduction. This discussion has also taken on legal significance, as over a dozen states have formally amended their corporations statutes to allow such “dual purpose” structures. A panel of experts discussed the nature of recent legal reforms, the state of play in social investing, and the challenges facing this emerging area. 
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The JOBS Act: Initiatives and Challenges of the New Legislation

Panel 1 – The IPO ON-Ramp

Date: 03/15/2013
Duration: 3:43:38
Description: The JOBS Act was designed to incentivize IPO filings as a response to the declining number of small companies that were choosing to go public. At the same time, the Act creates a new category of issuer, the “emerging growth company,” that allows firms an additional 5 years to scale up to full public company status. The most important question our panelists will be faced with is whether the IPO on-ramp is really going to change the trend against IPO filings, and what caused the decline in the first place.
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The JOBS Act: Initiatives and Challenges of the New Legislation

Panel 2 – Crowdfunding

Date: 03/15/2013
Duration: :46
Description: The JOBS Act also creates an exemption from the requirement to register public offerings with the SEC, for certain types of small offerings, subject to several conditions. This exemption permits entrepreneurs to “crowd-fund” their businesses — that is, small businesses can raise money from large pools of small investors, as opposed to being able to solicit investment solely from accredited investors. Moreover, the Act allows the use of advertisements to solicit investments, a practice previously banned by the SEC. These changes will expose average Americans to a new type of investment risk, thus raising the question of whether the benefits of the crowdfunding exemption justify its costs.
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Who Is Your Client: The Company or Its CEO?

Kenton King, Skadden Arps & Scott Haber, Latham & Watkins & Michael Ross, former General Counsel of Safeway, Inc.

Date: 02/14/2013
Duration: 1:00
Description: The speakers discussed why it is important for both in-house and outside counsel to keep in mind the identity of the client. They addressed the ethics and practical issues that arise when there are actual or potential conflicts of interest between the organization and its senior management. 
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Russian Markets: Legal and Business Perspectives

Arseny Seidov/Baker & McKenzie, Mark Chizhenok/Ivanov, Makarov & Partners, Sergei Millian/RusAm Chamber of Commerce

Date: 02/06/2013
Duration: 1:07:54
Description: Russia is one of the fastest growing economies and promising markets for international businesses in the world. This is a rare opportunity to hear first hand from leading international experts about the Russian legal system, laws and practices, new innovations projects, and the advantages and challenges for entrepreneurs and foreign investors seeking to explore these emerging markets. In addition to a range of legal topics, the speakers discussed global political and economic events, Russia’s accession to the WTO, its role in the international economy as well as the most recent developments in Russian-American trade relationships. 
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Smart Course Planning: What to Take in Business Law and Why

Ken Taymor & Scott Haber

Date: 10/03/2012
Duration: :52
Description:
BCLB held an information session about the business law courses at Berkeley Law presented by Ken Taymor and other business law faculty. Scott Haber, Corporate Partner at Latham & Watkins also participated in the discussion and sharde his perspective on what coursework to pursue before graduation and why.

The session reviewed the Spring 2013 classes and highlighted new course offerings. This was an opportunity for students to learn how business law courses meet their interests and prepare them for professional practice, whether in a firm, government or NGO position. The program also reviewed the Business Law Certificate requirements.  

Dangerous Liaisons: China’s Indirect Investment Structures and the Shaky Foundations of “China Plays” on the Global Capital Markets

Nicholas C. Howson, University of Michigan Law School

Date: 09/12/2012
Duration: 1:00
Description: Nicholas C. Howson, visiting professor from the University of Michigan, analyzed the rise of “Variable Interest Entities,” an indirect method of investing in Chinese companies designed to circumvent Chinese government restrictions on foreign investment. This investment form involves a foreign holding company creating a wholly owned subsidiary in China to effectuate the foreign company’s investment in a Chinese company. The investment form, however, has proven very risky for American investors.

Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Foreclosure Crisis: Challenges and Solutions to the Mortgage Meltdown

Panel 2: Reforming Title Recording and Transfer: Key to a 21st Century Mortgage Market

Date: 04/13/2012
Duration: 1:30
Description: Most Americans do not know that a single private corporation, the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS), holds the titles to millions of mortgages in this country. The panelists explore how 21st Century technology can satisfy the needs of the securitization market for rapid, high volume mortgage transfers, and the public’s need for an accurate and transparent system for tracking the status of individual loans and mortgages.

Panelists include Laurence Platt (K&L Gates), James Rhyne (Thematix Partners), Nancy Wallace (Haas School of Business), and Benjamin Weber (Office of San Francisco Assessor-Recorder).

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Foreclosure Crisis: Challenges and Solutions to the Mortgage Meltdown

Discussion and Q&A

Date: 04/13/2012
Duration: 0:45
Description: Q&A session and closing remarks.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Foreclosure Crisis: Challenges and Solutions to the Mortgage Meltdown

Panel 1: Digging Out: Government and Private Initiatives to Address Mortgages Underwater or in Default

Date: 04/13/2012
Duration: 1:48
Description: Speakers from UC Berkeley join other scholars, business leaders and policymakers to address what the public and private sectors should and could do to resolve the seemingly endless stream of home foreclosures. Topics include the “robosigning settlement” among all 50 state Attorneys General, the federal government and major loan servicers.

Panelists include Dwight Jaffee (Haas School of Business), Paul Leonard (Center for Responsible Lending), and David Moskowitz (Wells Fargo & Company).

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Smart Course Planning: What To Take in Business Law and Why

Date: 04/10/2012
Duration: :56
Description:
BCLB previewed the Fall 2012 Courses. This was an information session about the business law program at Berkeley Law presented by Ken Taymor and other business law faculty. The program reviewed the Fall 2012 classes and highlighted new course offerings. This was an opportunity for students to learn how business law courses meet their interests and prepare them for professional practice, whether in a firm, government or NGO position. The program also reviewed the Business Law Certificate requirements.

Enforcement Without Foundation? China’s Illegal Insider Trading Enforcement Regime

Nicholas C. Howson, University of Michigan Law School

Date: 02/08/2012
Duration: 1:03
Description: China’s securities regulator enforces insider trading prohibitions pursuant to self-conceived and non-public guidance. Howson argues that the agency guidance is itself unlawful and unenforceable, leaving a large part of China’s contemporary insider trading enforcement regime without foundation. This radical infirmity underlying what many see as the basis of well-governed and investor-attracting capital markets has important implications not only for China’s securities regulation regime and healthy capital markets development, but also for the entirety of China’s legal and administrative law system in the reform era.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

New Corporate Forms: Flexible Purpose Corporations, B Corps and L3Cs

Susan H. Mac Cormac, Morrison & Foerster

Date: 11/11/2011
Duration: 0:59
Description: This talk explores the positive and negative aspects of new corporate forms being tested in California and other states and explains how they differ from traditional corporations, LLCs and partnerships. 

Ms. Mac Cormac discusses whether a new form is even necessary and which model can best serve to promote environmental sustainability. She also describes limitations resulting from the California and Delaware Corporations Codes and case law
beyond the marketing and PR interpretation dominating the press. 
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Do China’s Stock Markets Matter?

Carl E. Walter

Date: 11/01/2011
Duration: 0:56
Description: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China’s two stock exchanges in Shenzhen and Shanghai. Over these two decades nearly 2,000 Chinese companies listed domestically in Hong Kong and beyond, raising nearly US $300 billion. There is no doubt  that these markets are important, but in a country with no private property and banks accounting for over 90 percent of all corporate financing, just what role do stock markets play and what is their overall significance?

This talk explores these two questions and describes to what degree Western legal, accounting and financial concepts have changed China’s economic landscape.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Smart Course Planning: What to Take in Business Law and Why

Date: 10/06/2011
Duration: 1:03
Description:
Preview Spring 2012 Courses. This was an information session on the business law program at Berkeley Law presented by Ken Taymor and other business law faculty. The program reviewed the business law classes and highlighted new course offerings.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)

Corruption & Fraud in China: Challenges for US Companies & Investors

Nathan Bush, O’Melveny & Myers

Date: 08/29/2011
Duration: 1:04
Description: China offers both opportunities and perils for US companies and
investors. Official graft and commercial bribery remain pervasive, raising risks of liability under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, other nations’ foreign bribery statutes like the new UK Bribery Act, and Chinese domestic law. Dozens of China-based companies listed on foreign
stock exchanges now face regulatory investigations and
shareholder litigation stemming from allegations of fraud and other misconduct. Are these symptoms of the same underlying weaknesses in China’s corporate governance standards and opaque regulatory climate?

Nate Bush assesses current efforts by US companies, investors, and regulators to confront these challenges, and the implications for China’s political and economic climate.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Renaissance Life of the Talented Professor Buxbaum

Professor Richard Buxbaum, Berkeley Law

Date: 04/18/2011
Duration: 0:57
Description: Many may be familiar with Professor Buxbaum’s leading work in corporate law and comparative law, and as a pillar of the Berkeley Law’s business faculty. Few may know that his many contributions extend far beyond shaping jurisprudence in the United States and around the world. They are also deeply rooted in public service, affirmative action, free speech, national defense, and reparations issues. He is a true Renaissance man and his service to the Berkeley Law community as well as citizens around the world is without parallel. At this luncheon, Professor Buxbaum reflects on his experiences in the major social and political events of the 1960s and 1970s.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Emergency: The Crises that Began and Ended the Decade

The Honorable Michael G. Oxley

Date: 04/06/2011
Duration: 1:20
Description: The Honorable Michael G. Oxley, co-author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, one of the most far reaching and controversial financial regulation laws in American history, speaks about the fiscal crashes that ended the dot-com bubble and once again plunged the economy into recession.

Sponsor: Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice and Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Top 10 Things You Should Learn in Law School if You Want to Work with Great Entrepreneurs

Donna Petkanics, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati & Robert J. Majteles, Treehouse Capital LLC

Date: 03/15/2011
Duration: 1:00
Description: Donna Petkanics and Rob Majteles
share their insider experiences with the Boalt community, offering a unique perspective from both sides of the equation.

Ms. Petkanics represents a wide range of growth companies
with an emphasis on corporate and securities issues, both privately held and publicly traded.  She also served on the Board of Directors of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and held a number of operating roles, including Managing Director  of the firm for six years. Prior to attending law school, she worked as a staff economist in the
Executive Office of the President during the Carter Administration. 

Mr. Majteles is a former attorney and CEO and now manages an
investment firm and serves as an active and involved board member for
the companies in Treehouse’s portfolio and as an advisory partner to a
variety of investment funds.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and Beyond

Panel 3 – Consumer Protection

Date: 03/11/2011
Duration: 1:34
Description: On March 11, 2011 the Berkeley Center for Law and Business
(BCLB) and the Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ) co-hosted a spring
symposium entitled “Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and
Beyond.” This video features the third panel from the symposium,
“Consumer Protection.” The panel includes John D. Wright (Wells Fargo
& Company), John A.E. Pottow (University of Michigan, School of Law),
Thomas Brown, (O’Melveny & Myers), and Gail Hillebrand (Consumers
Union). Prasad Krishnamurthy (Berkeley Law), provides moderation.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and Beyond

Panel 1 – Securitization and Governance

Date: 03/11/2011
Duration: 1:37
Description: On March 11, 2011 the Berkeley Center for Law and Business
(BCLB) and the Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ) co-hosted a spring
symposium entitled, “Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and
Beyond.” This video features the first panel from the symposium entitled “Securitization & Governance.” The panel includes Dwight M. Jaffee (Haas School of Business), Nancy E. Wallace (Haas School of Business & BCLB Faculty Co-Director), Erik Gerding (University of New Mexico, School of Law), and Mark D. Perlow, (K&L Gates).  Stavros
E. Gadinis (Berkeley Law) moderates the panel.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and Beyond

Symposium Welcome, Launch and Keynote Address

Date: 03/11/2011
Duration: 0:29
Description: On March 11, 2011 the Berkeley Center for Law and Business
(BCLB) and the Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ) co-hosted a spring
symposium entitled “Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and
Beyond.” This video features the welcome address made by Eric Talley (BCLB), Matthew R.
DalSanto (BBLJ), and Ken Taymor (BCLB), followed by a keynote address
by William Haraf (Financial Stability Oversight Council and the California Department of Financial Institutions).
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and Beyond

Panel 2 – Venture Finance

Date: 03/11/2011
Duration: 1:22
Description: On March 11, 2011 the Berkeley Center for Law and Business
(BCLB) and the Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ) co-hosted a spring
symposium entitled “Financial Regulatory Reform: Dodd-Frank and
Beyond.” This video features the second panel from the symposium,
“Venture Finance.” The panel includes Steven E. Bochner (Wilson Sonsini
Goodrich & Rosati), Eric Finseth (BCLB), and Mary Dent (SVB Financial
Group) and moderation by Robert P. Bartlett III (Berkeley Law).

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Law, Policy, and Practice on China’s Periphery: Minority Areas and Implications for Hong Kong and Taiwan

Pitman Potter, University of British Columbia

Date: 02/15/2011
Duration: 1:11
Description: Professor Potter’s talk focuses on  his recently published book “Law, Policy, and Practice on China’s Periphery:  Selective Adaptation and Institutional Capacity.”  He examines the Chinese government’s policies and practices regarding the Inner Periphery areas, including Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia, and the Outer Periphery areas of Hong Kong and Taiwan, focusing on political authority, socio-cultural relations, and economic development.  Successive imperial, republican, and communist governments have struggled to maintain sovereignty over the regions surrounding the great river valleys of China. The peripheries remain very important today, with challenges over national security, access to natural resources, and long-held concerns about relations between ethnic groups continuing to dominate Chinese law, policy and practice in these regions.  Prof. Potter’s study
seeks to build an understanding of the current status of China’s rule along its continental and maritime peripheries.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Evolution of Business Law in California and at Boalt Hall

Professor Richard Buxbaum, Berkeley Law

Date: 11/15/2010
Duration: 0:57
Description: Professor Richard Buxbaum ’53 has been a keen observer of the business
law terrain for five decades. BCLB and the Berkeley Business Law
Journal host a talk during which Professor Buxbaum shares his perspective on
the development of business law in California and the role played by
Boalt Hall in that evolution.  Three generations of Boalt Hall faculty
members were and continue to be instrumental in reshaping many aspects
of corporate law and securities regulation in California, across the
United States and around the world. At this special lunchtime talk,
Professor Buxbaum provides insights into the interplay among the legal
academy, policymakers and the commercial world that will help us better
understand the current legal and regulatory environment governing the
business community and our collective efforts to emerge from the Great
Recession.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

America’s Broken Retirement Plans and Pension System: Another “Gift” From Wall Street

William Lerach

Date: 10/26/2010
Duration: 0:58
Description: William Lerach discussed his perspectives on the relationship between
the deregulation of our financial markets and several wealth destruction
events that resulted in massive losses to the nation’s public, private
and individual pension systems and plans. These losses have gravely
impaired the finances of these retirement plans — leaving many of them,
he argued, with unfunded obligations that are so pervasive that they
now constitute a major threat to the financial future of our country.
Mr. Lerach also discussed what, if anything, he believes can be done to
avoid or ameliorate the crisis that would arise from the financial
collapse of our pension systems.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Changes in the World’s Workshop: How New Laws, More Demanding Workers, and Activist Trade Unions are Transforming the Chinese Workplace

Mary Gallagher, Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan

Date: 10/18/2010
Duration: 0:55
Description: In 2008, the Chinese government passed three ambitious labor laws to improve working conditions in Chinese companies and employment security for Chinese workers.  Employers criticized these laws as a return to the age of the “iron rice bowl” under socialism, which guaranteed lifetime employment and extensive welfare benefits for all urban workers.  Labor activists hoped these new laws will help close the gap between the high standards of Chinese “law-on-the-books” with its implementation and enforcement in reality.

These protective measures coincided with the onset of the global financial crisis and a rapid decline in China’s export markets. The combination of more protective laws and greater economic volatility led to a rapid and unprecedented increase in labor conflict, including legal filings and large-scale strikes and demonstrations. In the wake of China’s recovery from the crisis, this conflict continues.  Workers possess more awareness of their new rights; trade unions receive encouragement by the government to increase efforts to protect workers; and a labor
shortage in manufacturing emboldens workers to press for higher wages and better conditions.

Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Careers in Business Law

Business Law Section of the CA State Bar Association

Date: 04/20/2010
Duration: 1:08
Description:
Still trying to decide on a career focus?  Considering a career as a business lawyer?  BCLB and BBLJ hosted a panel discussion, organized by the Business Law Section of the CA State Bar, on the realities of business law practice. Lawyers from diverse business practice areas provided insights into what they do, a first hand view of the day to day realities of different business practices,  and guidance on how to investigate and determine whether and which area of business practice might be attractive to you.

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ)

A Break Down of the Bailout

Stephen Bainbridge, Ken Taymor & John P. Hunt

Date: 02/18/2010
Duration: 0:55
Description: As the economy crumbled in 2008, the government intervened to “save”
financial institutions that were “too big to fail.”  This unprecedented
action generated a multitude of legal, economic, and political
questions; perhaps none more important than “will it work?” With the
decision to intervene behind us, it is now time to evaluate the effects on law, business, and the economy as a whole.

Panelists include Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA Law), Ken Taymor (BCLB), and John P. Hunt (Davis Law).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Competing in China: Antitrust, Anticorruption, & Industrial Policy

Nathan Bush, O’Melveny & Myers

Date: 01/14/2010
Duration: 0:57
Description:
China’s leadership enters 2010 with a mammoth stimulus program
onstream and mounting (often conflicting pressures) to restructure
China’s hybrid “command-market” system and its role in the global
economy. At the central government’s disposal are new instruments such
as the Antimonopoly Law, older tools such as the Law on Guarding State
Secrets, and the state’s tremendous influence over Chinese finance and
commerce. Foreign firms active in China face new regulatory challenges,
from the antitrust obstacles of acquiring Chinese firms to the
corruption risks of dealing with the state sector. Nathan Bush, a partner in the Antitrust & Competition Practice Group at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and General Counsel of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, explores
the intersection of China’s evolving antitrust, anticorruption, trade,
and industrial policies.

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Business & Ethics: Lessons from the Global Economic Crisis

Richard Buxbaum, Ernesto Dalbó, Christopher Kutz, David Vogel & John Quigley

Date: 12/01/2009
Duration: 1:08
Description: The global economic meltdown clearly demonstrates the importance of corporate governance and ethics. Less evident are the steps to improving how
financial firms operate. A panel of UC Berkeley professors explore and
respond to questions such as: How should executives incorporate
potential global and long term impacts into their business decisions?
Can corporate governance structures and rules be improved to provide
meaningful oversight and socially favorable incentives to financial firm
leaders? Are the recent announcements of bonuses to financial
executives a sign of economic recovery or continued ethical lapses?

Panelists include Richard Buxbaum (Berkeley Law), Ernesto Dalbó (Haas School of Business), Christopher Kutz (Berkeley Law), David Vogel (Haas School of Business), and John Quigley (Dept. of Economics).

Sponsor(s): Berkeley Center on Institutions and Governance (IGOV)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Global Financial & Economic Crisis: Global Unemployment

Andrew Rose, Bradford DeLong, David Card & John Quigley

Date: 10/28/2009
Duration: 1:10
Description: Despite recent upticks in the economy, the U.S. and worldwide employment
picture remains bleak. Are we facing a “jobless recovery?” Did
the international economic collapse in 2008-09 alter the labor market
permanently? UC Berkeley scholars answer these questions, explore the
role of international organizations such as the G20 in addressing them,
and offer proposals to prevent protectionism and promote a global
solution. Panelist include: John Quigley (Dept. of Economics), Brad
DeLong (Dept. of Economics), David Card (Dept. of Economics) and Andrew
Rose (Haas School of Business).
Sponsor(s): Berkeley Center on Institutions and Governance (IGS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Rebuilding the U.S. Financial System: The Causes, Consequences and the Regulatory Responses to the Credit Crisis

Michael Halloran, Eric Talley & Nancy Wallace

Date: 10/10/2009
Duration: 1:13
Description: Panelists explore the prospects for preserving stability while promoting healthy innovation in the financial sector.

Panelists include Michael Halloran (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP), Eric Talley (BCLB), and Nancy Wallace (Haas School of Business).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Legal Reform in China: The Domestic Debate

Thomas Kellogg, Open Society Institute & Soros Foundation

Date: 09/09/2009
Duration: 1:02
Description: Many assumed that China would, as it grows more prosperous, embrace the
rule of law, even as it maintains a go-slow approach on political
reform. But in March 2008, the Communist Party renewed its support for
“socialist legality,” highlighting the role of the Party in the judicial
process and explicitly rejecting Western-style legal reforms. Some
Chinese critics of the new policy have called for an embrace of global
values and renewed efforts to construct independent legal institutions
free from Party influence. Others advocate wide-ranging, wholesale
structural reforms based on the Western constitutional model.  Still
others eschew specific policy proposals and instead offer a nationalist
critique of Western governments’ interactions with China.

This ongoing internal debate is vitally important: its outcome
will help determine China’s reform path. Those seeking to better
understand where China is going need to look closely not just at the
ever-growing thicket of new laws and regulations issued by the State,
but also at what both the government and its well-meaning critics are
saying about the future of political and legal reform in China.

Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Global Financial & Economic Crisis: What Should the G20 Do?

Aaron Edlin, Barry Eichengreen, Maurice Obstfeld, Pierre Olivier Gourinchas & Andrew Rose

Date: 03/18/2009
Duration: 1:17
Description: In April, leaders from the G20 countries representing 85% of the global economy will meet to develop a coordinated response to the worldwide economic and financial collapse. What actions can G20 leaders take to stem the tsunami washing over the world economy? How will these leaders find common solutions to this international disaster? Our distinguished panel of UC Berkeley economists discuss these questions and identify answers. Panelists include Aaron Edlin (Berkeley Law), Barry Eichengreen (Dept. of Economics), Maurice Obstfeld (Dept. of Economics), Pierre Olivier Gourinchas (Dept. of Economics), and Andrew Rose (Haas School of Business).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The Uncertain Future of Chinese Law Reform

Stanley Lubman, Berkeley Law

Date: 02/24/2009
Duration: 0:59
Description: China’s legal system has come a long way.  Economic reform has driven
legal reform: formal legislation now provides a framework for the
organization of the Chinese government, and judicial institutions have
been reconstructed in the wake of the Cultural Revolution.  But the
courts are inadequately professionalized, often favor local interests,
and corruption is widespread.  For the Chinese leadership maintaining
power trumps the rule of law.  Rights-consciousness is growing in
Chinese society, but political reform is needed to accelerate legal
reform. Professor Lubman discussed the quiet progress being made in
regards to developing laws to control administrative arbitrariness,
professionalizing the judicial system, and reducing the impact of “local
protectionism.”

Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Good Bank Bad Bank: Increasing credit liquidity, stemming foreclosures and supporting the economy

John M. Quigley, Paul Milgrom, James A. Wilcox, Dwight Jaffee & Nancy Wallace

Date: 02/18/2009
Duration: 1:13
Description: Experts in economics, business, and public policy examine the impact of
the Treasury Department’s Financial Stability Plan. Supporters say the
plan will infuse cash into credit markets and stem foreclosures by
expanding financial capital and removing toxic assets.
Panelists evaluate pricing strategies for bank assets, proposals to
stem foreclosures, and the risks the FSP presents to taxpayers.

Panelists include John M. Quigley (Dept. of Economics), Paul Milgrom (Stanford University), James A. Wilcox (Haas School of Business), Dwight Jaffee (Haas School of Business), and Nancy Wallace (Haas School of Business).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Capital Market Turmoil: Career Opportunities and Pitfalls

Richard Roeder, Vance Street Capital

Date: 11/18/2008
Duration: 0:50
Description: Private Equity Fund manager and former corporate law partner Richard Roeder discusses the state of the capital markets and how
they may affect career opportunities for law and business students.
Richard Roeder is a Berkeley Law alum who has founded and managed
private equity funds since 1991. Prior, he was a partner at Paul
Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, where from 1987 to 1991 he served as
Chairman of the firm’s corporate law department. Richard provides
valuable career perspective on the world of business and finance and
answers questions from students about how the current market turmoil
may impact their futures.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

The 21st Century Wine Business: Where Farming Meets Facebook

Lenny Stein, Jackson Family Enterprises

Date: 11/03/2008
Duration: 1:04
Description: As American interest in and knowledge of fine wine grows, the wine industry undergoes tremendous change. Consumers trading
up and down, supplier and wholesaler tiers consolidating, family wine
companies selling out, private equity buying in, new global wine regions
emerging, and the environment taking central stage are just some of the changes occurring. Efforts to undo the
U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2005 victory for consumers gain speed and
traction. As the internet transforms how people discover, discuss, and
buy wine, a future of enormous potential collides with an antiquated
patchwork of prohibition era legislation. In short, fertile ground for
lawyers. Lenny Stein makes a breakneck tour of the business and legal
vineyard that is today’s rapidly changing wine industry.
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business and Berkeley Center for Law & Technology

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: A Springboard to a New Era of Entertainment Deal-Making in China?

Seagull Song, King & Wood (presently Arnold & Porter)

Date: 10/07/2008
Duration: 0:34
Description: The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG) decided to use
“international standards” regarding entertainment and media
contracts for the Beijing 2008 Games. Seagull Song, who was with King
& Wood’s China office during the planning years, discusses what this
means and the possible ramification to the development of the
entertainment and professional sports industries in China. Specifically,
how are the concepts of “chain of title” and the complexities of music
royalties to be dealt with in the post-Olympic world in China? How have the
domestic and local legal firms addressed ambush marketing and unauthorized
retransmission?
Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Global Financial Market Turmoil: A Panel Discussion

George Akerlof, Brad DeLong, Aaron Edlin, Barry Eichengreen, John M. Quigley & Nancy Wallace

Date: 10/02/2008
Duration: 1:37
Description: A panel of distinguished scholars from UC Berkeley analyze how the
financial market meltdown in the Fall of 2008 occurred, evaluate the
government’s response, and explain its impact on American households
and global markets.

Panelists include George Akerlof (Dept. of Economics), Brad DeLong (Dept. of Economics), Aaron Edlin (Berkeley Law), barry Eichengreen (Dept. of Economics), John M. Quigley (Dept. of Economics), and Nancy Wallace (Haas School of Business).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Executive Compensation Workshop: Rethinking Pay for Performance

Panel 2: Structuring Non-Share-Price Based Incentive Plans

Date: 09/26/2008
Duration: 1:18
Description: Executive compensation continues to attract considerable attention, much
of it critical, from shareholder activists, the press and Congress.  On
September 26th, 2008, BCLB sponsored a half day conference bringing together leading academics and compensation practitioners to
help directors explore “out-of-the-box” ways to better tie CEO pay to
performance.

Panelists include David Chun (Equilar), James E. Kim (Frederic Cook & Co.), and Kevin Murphy (Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Executive Compensation Workshop: Rethinking Pay for Performance

Panel 1: Rethinking Share-Price Based Incentive Plans

Date: 09/26/2008
Duration: 1:39
Description: Executive compensation continues to attract considerable attention, much
of it critical, from shareholder activists, the press and Congress.  On
September 26th, 2008, BCLB sponsored a half day conference bringing together leading academics and compensation practitioners to
help directors explore “out-of-the-box” ways to better tie CEO pay to
performance.

Panelists include David Chun (Equilar), Graef Crystal (Haas School of Business), Ira Kay (Pay Governance) & Jesse Fried (Berkeley Law).

Sponsor: Berkeley Center for Law and Business

A Career in the Law: Perspectives on Life in Government, Private Practice and the Corporate Law Department

Charles A. James, Chevron Corporate

Date: 04/01/2008
Duration: :58
Description:
During the course of his 30-year career in the law, Mr. James has worked as an agency staff attorney, as an associate and senior partner in one of America’s largest law firms, as the head of a federal law enforcement agency, and now as the General Counsel of one of the world’s largest multinational corporations.  Mr. James offered his perspectives on legal careers in these various settings, focusing on training, development and opportunities for professional advancement.

China’s Long Awaited Antimonopoly Law – Convergence, Transparency & Chinese Antitrust

Nate Bush, O’Melveny & Myers

Date: 02/13/2008
Duration: 1:03
Description:
Thirteen years in the making, China’s first comprehensive antitrust law, the Antimonopoly Law, went into effect on August 1, 2008.  True, it is modeled on foreign practice.  But ambiguities remain. During this talk, Mr. Bush addressed the following questions: “Will this new law promote consumer welfare, innovation, and efficiency through the competitive process?  Or will it gravitate towards populism, protectionism, and industrial policy?” 

Fusion M&A: Entrepreneurialism and Private Equity in Asia

David Patrick Eich, Kirkland & Ellis

Date: 11/27/2007
Duration: 1:01
Description:
Did you think private equity had peaked with Blackstone’s IPO? Not at all. It’s back with a vengeance in Asia. China in particular has discovered that this modern alchemy can create well-run, profitable companies that might even repopulate and drastically transform its public securities markets. The fusion of entrepreneurialism in many emerging Asian markets with sophisticated private equity investment strategies presents historic opportunities — and commensurate challenges — to investors and their advisors. Mr. Eich, the senior partner in Kirkland’s Hong Kong office, illuminated some of each while discussing key legal developments and trends affecting private equity in Asia.

How to Succeed in the California Land Use Wars – Sixteen Years and 1,600 Acres

William Falik, Westpark Associates

Date: 10/23/2007
Duration: :58
Description:
What does it take to transform 1,600 acres of barren land into the largest and most lucrative masterplanned community in Northern California? Bill Falik, CEO of Westpark Community Builders, recounted the sixteen year saga of the creation, entitlement and sale of the Westpark Project. The event focused on the business, legal and land use risks and rewards of land development in one of the most volatile markets in California and about a new real estate development crossover course taught by Mr. Falik.

Challenges and Opportunities for American Lawyers in China or with Chinese Companies

Carmen Chang, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Date: 10/09/2007
Duration: :59
Description:
Transformation from a centrally planned economy, virtually closed to foreign trade, to a now rapidly expanding, market-oriented one has brought profound change for China and the companies outside the country doing business there. As China continues its breathtaking sprint toward modernization, debates on everything from limited natural resources to the value of the yuan to copyright enforcement have become more urgent. In the face of such change, how is the legal profession adapting–both here and in China? And how best can American lawyers advise their clients who, with growing frequency, conduct business there?

Why and How China is Pushing Deals Onshore

Howard Chao, O’Melveny & Myers

Date: 09/17/2007
Duration: 1:00
Description:
Howard Chao is the head of O’Melveny & Myers Asia Practice. Drawing on his many years of experience living and practicing in Asia, Chao discussed the significant change occurring in China as more foreign investors are compelled to go onshore in China to do financing transactions for Chinese companies. Chinese companies are now relying on the Chinese securities markets for IPOs or have moved their listings to Chinese exchanges. On the private financing front, China has enacted a series of measures that limit the use of offshore holding companies and increase the Chinese legal and governmental “control” over these deals and companies. What does all of this means for capital flows within and into China?  Does this signal a relative decline in the importance of the U.S. and other financial centers, to the benefit of Shanghai, and how is this affecting the global and China strategies of law firms, international investment banks, private equity houses and other professionals?

Securities Litigation: State of the Art Methods to Navigate the Civil and Criminal Minefields

Michael Cypers, Mayer, Browne, Rowe & Maw

Date: 08/28/2007
Duration: 1:02
Description:
Securities litigation requires the practitioner to draw on a broad range of skills, from knowledge of recent Supreme Court opinions to persuading a jury. Since Enron, there has been an explosion of developments from the courts, Congress, and the SEC, and a number of high profile executives have been sentenced to jail for criminal misconduct. This session discussed the practical methods securities litigators use to maximize results for their clients.

The New Executive Compensation Disclosure: Total Compensation or Total Confusion?

Donna Petkanics, Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati

Date: 03/19/2007
Duration: :57
Description:
The SEC enacted new rules on executive compensation disclosure, in part in response to perceived excesses. Will these new disclosure rules make any difference or will they cause more obfuscation? Ms. Petkanics’ practice focuses on advice to emerging growth companies, with an emphasis on corporate and securities issues. She has served in a number of leadership positions with Wilson Sonsini, including as a Member of the Executive Management Committee, the Policy Committee and Managing Director of Operations.

Business Strategies for Building a Sustainable Future

Aron Cramer, Business for Social Responsibility

Date: 02/26/2007
Duration: :56
Description:
Is corporate social responsibility an oxymoron? Not according to Business for Social Responsibility, a global organization that helps its member companies achieve success in ways that respect ethical values, people, communities and the environment. BSR provides information, tools, training and advisory services to make corporate social responsibility an integral part of business operations and strategies. This session explored the intersection between business strategy and corporate social responsibility.