Thursday, September 18, 2025

8:30 – 9:00 am 
Registration & Coffee

9:00 – 9:05 am 
Opening Remarks
Extended by Ben Skeen, Esq., Program Attorney, CBA-CLE, and Wil Wenzel, Esq., Immediate Past Chair, Colorado Bar Association Business Law Section

9:05 – 9:55 am
Legislative Update
Key business-related developments from the 2025 Colorado General Assembly, featuring commentary from lawmakers.
Presented by Victoria “Tory” Bantz, Esq., Burns Figa & Will; Representative Shannon Bird, Colorado General Assembly; and Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, Colorado General Assembly

9:55 – 10:45 am
Essential Tax Updates for Business Attorneys
Federal tax changes and policy developments that impact business clients, including an update on the "Big Beautiful Bill."
Presented by Chris Levkulich, Esq., Fennemore Craig, P.C.

10:45 – 11:00 am
Morning Break

11:00 – 11:50 am
Antitrust Spotlight: Algorithmic Agreements
A discussion of algorithmic pricing, regulatory developments, and the implications of AI-driven market behavior.
Presented by Thomas L. Dyer, Esq., Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, and Paul D. Swanson, Esq., Holland & Hart, LLP

11:50 am – 1:00 pm
Lunch (included with tuition)

Courtesy of Jason Wiener P.C. and the CBA Business Law Section

1:00 – 1:50 pm
General Counsel’s Perspective — What's Keeping Us Awake At Night
Insights on how outside counsel can better serve in-house teams. 
Presented by Bryan Caylor, Esq., Summit Investment Management LLC, Brian Gaffney, Esq., Vice President – General Counsel, Colorado Rockies, and Maureen “Mo” Watson, Esq., meQuilibrium. 

Moderated by Lucas Ritchie, Esq., Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, LLP.

1:50 – 2:40 pm
Employee Ownership: A Tool for Succession Planning
Legal and practical aspects of employee ownership as a succession strategy. 

Presented by Ashley Ortiz, Deputy Director, Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center; Linda Phillips, Esq., Jason Wiener, P.C.; and Jason R. Wiener, Esq., Jason Weiner, P.C.  

2:40 – 2:50 pm
Afternoon Break

2:50 – 3:10 pm 
Presentation of the Cathy Stricklin Krendl Lifetime Achievement Award

3:10 – 4:00 pm
Counseling in the Gray: Navigating Compliance Amid Legal Uncertainty
This panel will explore how business lawyers can effectively counsel clients when laws, regulations, and enforcement priorities are unsettled or in flux.
Presented by Kurt Gottshall, Esq., Haynes Boone; Herrick Lidstone, Esq., Burns Figa & Will, LLC; and Mark Loewenstein, Esq., Professor of Law, Colorado Law

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Adjourn to Reception in Honor of Krendl Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient 
Schoolyard Beergarden, 1115 Acoma St., Denver, CO

Friday, September 19, 2025

8:30 – 9:00 am 
Registration & Coffee

9:00 – 9:05 am 
Welcome Back Housekeeping Remarks
Extended by Ben Skeen, Esq., Program Attorney, CBA-CLE, and Wil Wenzel, Esq., Immediate Past Chair, Colorado Bar Association Business Law Section

9:05 – 9:55 am
Strategic Partnerships: Legal Considerations for Collaborations Between For-Profit and Non-Profit Organizations. 
Balancing mission and market in collaborative ventures.
Presented by Cara B. Lawrence, Esq., Tierney Lawrence Stiles, LLC, Lorena Torres Ostos, Core Branding LLC, and Naomi Stokeld, Esq., Emendo Law LLC

9:55 – 10:45 am
Bankruptcy for Business Lawyers
Tools to assess bankruptcy risks and referral points for clients in distress.

Presented by William G. Cross, Esq., Markus Williams Young & Hunsicker LLC and Jon Dickey, Esq., Kutner Brinen Dickey Riley, P.C.

10:45 – 11:00 am
Networking Break

11:00 – 11:50 am
Cybersecurity for Businesses
Key legal risks and compliance strategies for protecting client data.
Presented by Daniel Rohner, Esq., Shook Hardy & Bacon, Sean Solis, Esq., Baker Hostetler, and Christopher Wood, Esq., Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP

11:50 am – 12:00 pm
Pick up box lunches (included with tuition)
CBA-CLE can provide vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options if attendees note their dietary needs during registration

12:00 – 12:50 pm
Keynote Address: Attorney General Phil Weiser
How the AG balances regulation with opportunity, and responds to shifting federal policy.
Presented by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Esq.

12:50 – 1:10 pm
Networking Break

1:10 – 2:00 pm
Revolutionizing Legal Practices: How Emerging Technologies like AI and Contract Automation are Transforming Law Firms.
Presented by Gene R. Commander, Esq., Gene Commander, Inc.; Chuong M. Le, Esq., 3i Law LLC; and Porter H. “Heath” Morgan, Esq., Martin Golden Lyons Watts Morgan, PLLC.

2:00 – 2:50 pm 
Financing Options for Small Businesses: Unlocking Funding Opportunities
This panel of experienced voices in the lending and finance sectors will share insights, strategies, and practical advice for business lawyers looking to guide their clients through today’s funding landscape. 
Presented by Sonya Guram, Deputy Director of Business Funding and Incentives, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Micki O’Neil, Director of Business Support and Impact, CEDS Finance; and Andrew A. Schwartz, Laurence W. DeMuth Chair of Business Law, University of Colorado Law School.
Moderated by Naomi Stokeld, Esq., Emendo Law LLC

2:50 – 3:00 pm
Final Remarks and Adjournment