Conferences

Inc to Empire: The Legal Growth of Your Business
7th Annual Entrepreneurship Law Center Conference

Saturday, March 3, 2012

From the ink on the napkin to the ink on a contract, an entrepreneur encounters legal questions every step of the way.

This year, the Entrepreneurship Law Center (formerly called the Small Business Opportunity Center) aspires to give participants an introduction to the legal problems entrepreneurs encounter, either as the owner of a business or as attorneys for an enterprise. The focus is to offer practical, relevant information that one needs when designing an entrepreneurial venture.

The Conference is Northwestern Law’s annual forum exploring various entrepreneurship and business issues with speakers, panels, and workshops covering such topics as venture and angel financing, intellectual property, and branding.

Along with all-star panelists, we are proud to announce our keynote speaker, is Tom Churchwell. With years of experience on the Chicago Venture Capital scene, he knows the ins-and-outs of making a business successful. Now, he is launching a new venture that has the potential to explode. We are excited to have him with us to share his wisdom as well as giving us a glimpse of what’s coming next.

The Conference is being hosted by Northwestern University School of Law's Entrepreneurship Law Center (The “ELC”) and organized by the Center's student board. The ELC is a non-profit, student-based clinical program affiliated with the Bluhm Legal Clinic. The ELC was one of the first transactional clinics of its kind at any major law school in the country. Founded in 1997, the SBOC has given law students, working under the supervision of attorneys with many years of corporate and transactional experience, the opportunity to provide legal counsel to hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses, on topics ranging from entity formation to licensing and franchising.

Legal Advice. Practical Business Learning. Networking

Registering

We expect over 250 attendees coming from various backgrounds, including start-up executives, aspiring entrepreneurs, financiers, service-providers, thought leaders, and students from business and law schools. Due to overwhelming interest, please register early to reserve your spot.

Registration is closed.

Panels

Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors
At the early stages of an idea, financing could be the difference between success and failure. Our panelist will include prominent Venture Capitalists, Angels and Entrepreneurs to give insight into what they look for in the companies they want to fund. Also, there will be a number of Entrepreneurs who have gone through the VC funding process to give advice.

The Process of an IPO
The energy around the Chicago market is exciting, and with the buzz there are a lot of opportunities to learn. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are the goal of an Entrepreneur looking to grow their company to the highest level. Come learn about the real life experiences, from the people who have been through it. With a panel filled with members from some of Chicago’s hottest companies, as well as lawyers who help companies make it everyday, you are bound to get insight you have not had before.

How to Start a Business
When you have an idea, and you’re ready to get it off the ground, what are your next steps? This panel will offer practical advice for entrepreneurs in the beginning stages of business. What is the best structure for you? What do you need to know now to set yourself up for success? With a variety of legal experts and people who have been through it, this panel will be full of information for anyone in the process of launching a new business.

Protecting your Brand
Entrepreneurs focus time and energy on generating ideas, developing those ideas into reality and building an identity in the marketplace. With all of this hard work and investment, it is critical that this developing brand be properly supported by the legal foundation necessary to protect it from exploitation by others. We have assembled a wide variety of experts to discuss both the steps involved in building your brand and the corresponding legal considerations at each one of these steps. You will hear from experts in the law, advertising and marketing, along with real-life entrepreneurs to share their stories of building a legally sound brand.

Parking Information

The nearest paid parking structure is located at 222 E. Huron (C-Lot, Huron-St. Clair Self Park), but there is also street parking. You must enter the main law school entrance at 375 E. Chicago Ave., between Levy Mayer Hall and the Rubloff Building. Other doors may be locked, so please use the main law school entrance.
Parking Information | Driving Directions

Past ELC Conferences

Past Conference Guest Speakers have included:

Sean Harper, FeeFighters - instantly compare credit card processors
Stuart Frankel, Former President of Double Click Performics and current entrepreneur
Scott Mandell, CEO, Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC
Barry Moltz, Entrepreneur and Author
Michael Soenen, Former CEO of FTD Global and current entrepreneur
Paul Schaafsma, Patent Attorney
Chuck Templeton, Founder OpenTable.com
Frank Petito, President Orbitz for Business
Alice Green, In-house counsel for Orbitz
Michael Alter, President, SurePayroll, Inc.
Brian Taylor, Founder, Kernel Seasons
Richard Stokes, CEO, Founder, AdGooroo, LLC
Thomas L. Churchwell, Managing Partner, Midwest Venture Partners
Chris Krause, CEO, National Collegiate Scouting Association
Gregg Kaplan, CEO, CoinStar