Panelists

Martin Brinkley is the William Rand Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor at the UNC School of Law. Brinkley served as Dean of UNC School of Law from 2015 to 2025. He teaches Business Associations, Property, and Trusts & Estates. Brinkley began his legal career clerking for Judge Sam Ervin on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He practiced for ten years at Moore & Van Allen PLLC in Raleigh before moving to Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP in Raleigh, where he specialized in corporate and commercial law. Brinkley has an AB in Classics from Harvard University and a JD from UNC School of Law.

Patricia Brown is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at SAS, a data and AI solutions firm headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. Her role oversees legal and licensing operations, government affairs, enterprise negotiations, and risk departments at SAS. As a member of the executive management team, Brown plays a central role in setting corporate policies for the company. She also currently sits on the advisory board for the Institute of Innovation at UNC School of Law, which provides legal counsel to businesses in North Carolina. Before joining SAS, Brown served as a paralegal for five years in the United States Marine Corps. Brown has a BA in Music Education from Emporia State University and a JD from UNC School of Law.

Ted Claypoole leads Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP’s IP Transactions and FinTech Teams. He resides in the Atlanta office, where his practice focuses on AI and data analytics strategies, privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance with relevant laws and contracts. He is also a regular speaker and writer on privacy and security issues, has authored several books on technology and law, and edits Womble Bond Dickinson’s HeyDataData Blog. Previously, Claypoole served as in-house data and technology counsel at Bank of America and CompuServe. Claypoole has a BA in Public Policy from Duke University and a JD from Ohio State University College of Law.

Brad Davey is a Partner and Corporate Litigation Practice Group Leader with Potter Anderson & Corron LLP in Wilmington, Delaware. His practice area focuses on business, corporate, and alternative entities litigation in the Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court. Davey advises directors, acquirers, and financial advisors on mergers and acquisitions, as well as related litigation. He is also a frequent speaker at various corporate law seminars and symposia. Davey earned a BA from Emory University and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Brett J. Denton serves as Enterprise Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Atrium Health in Charlotte. His role oversees Atrium Health’s comprehensive legal and risk functions, including privacy, internal audit, corporate risk management, and corporate insurance. Before joining Atrium Health, Denton was at Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A., for six years. He currently serves as treasurer for the Charlotte Arts and Sciences Council Board of Directors and served as chair of the Mecklenburg County Bar Fee Dispute Resolution Committee. Denton holds a BS in Business Administration and a JD from UNC School of Law.

Benjamin Edwards is a Professor of Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. Edwards researches and writes about business and securities law, corporate governance, arbitration, and consumer protection. His writing has been featured in numerous law reviews, journals, and newspapers, such as The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg View. He also writes regularly for the Business Law Professor blog. Before joining UNLV, Edwards practiced as a securities litigator in the New York Office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Edwards earned his BA in Philosophy from the University of South Carolina and his JD from Columbia Law School.

Jenny Finnegan is the Managing Director on the loss prevention team of the Professional Services Practice at Aon in North America. She is responsible for consulting with Aon’s law firm clients on a wide range of professional responsibility and liability issues. Jenny is also a member of the Professional Ethics Committee of the New York Bar Association. Previously, she was a litigation partner and the general counsel of Herrick, Feinstein LLP in New York. Jenny earned her BA from The College of New Jersey and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

Bill Garcia is Chief Practice Innovation Officer at Thompson Hine LLP in D.C. Garcia guides practice groups in new product and service initiatives, identifies emerging market opportunities, and steers the creation of pioneering technologies. He also develops legal project management and related processes, procedures, and tools, and works with clients to foster more efficient legal service delivery. Previously, he served as inside counsel at Gannett Co., Inc., and advised on antitrust, advertising, distribution, and other matters and managed the commercial litigation docket. He later served as Vice President/Compliance Oversight at MCI during its emergence from bankruptcy. Garcia also practiced at two international law firms. He earned his AB from Harvard University and JD from the University of Chicago Law School.

Michael Holmes is Head of the Litigation Department at Vinson & Elkin’s LLP in the Dallas and Houston offices. Holmes’ practice focuses on business litigation, particularly securities and corporate governance matters. He has led cases in federal and state courts, including the Delaware Court of Chancery, and arbitral tribunals. Holmes is also a committee member on the Civil Practice and Procedure Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law. He earned his BA and JD from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

Kyle Pinder is a Partner within the Corporate Counseling and Commercial Transactions group at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel LLP in Wilmington, Delaware. Pinder’s practice focuses on corporate governance, including initial public offerings, contests for control, stockholder activism, and proxy contests. Additionally, he provides counseling for corporations, directors, and officers on M&A, financing, and restructuring transactions. Pinder is also a frequent speaker and writer on topics of Delaware corporate law. Before joining Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel LLP, he was an extern to the Honorable Eduardo C. Robreno of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He earned his BA in history from the University of Delaware and his JD from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.

Bryan Sappington is a Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP in the Dallas and Houston offices. Sappington’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, particularly in the energy, financial institutions, and transportation sectors. Before joining Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, he was an associate attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He earned his BA in Biology from Baylor University and his JD from the University of Michigan Law School.

Lissa Broome is the Burton Craige Distinguished Professor, director of the school’s Center for Banking and Finance, faculty adviser to the North Carolina Banking Institute journal, and head of the school’s Director Development Initiative (DDI), which works to help match aspiring board members, particularly those from underrepresented groups, with for-profit and nonprofit board opportunities. The DDI also provides training for those interested in corporate board service. Broome serves as the University’s Faculty Athletics Representative to the Atlantic Coast Conference and the NCAA. She teaches Banking Law and Secured Transactions. Broome has a degree in finance from the University of Illinois and earned a JD from Harvard Law School.

Caleb Griffin is an Associate Professor at UNC School of Law. Griffin’s research focuses on corporate law, corporate governance, and technology policy & regulation. He teaches courses including Contracts, Business Organizations, Mergers & Acquisitions, and related business law courses. Before joining the University of North Carolina, Griffin served as a professor at law schools in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia. Prior to teaching, Griffin practiced corporate law at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston, Texas. He earned his BBA from Oklahoma Christian University and JD from Harvard Law School.

Thomas Hazen is the Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor of Law. He teaches Business Associations and Securities Regulation and is the author or co-author of casebooks in corporations, corporate finance, broker-dealer regulation, mergers and acquisitions, and securities regulation. Tom is also the author of a widely regarded six-volume treatise on Securities Regulation, a three-volume treatise on derivatives regulation, and a two-volume treatise on broker-dealer law. He has served as an expert witness in a number of high-profile securities cases. Tom received his undergraduate and law degrees from Columbia.