Law and Business Conference Feb. 13 Focuses on U.S. Role in Global Credit Crisis

February 9, 2009 — Top scholars, business leaders and practitioners will explore the role of the United States in the global credit crisis during a symposium at the University of Virginia School of Law on Friday. Featuring speakers and panels on the government bailout, country defaults, the future of the financial crisis and the slowdown in initial public stock offerings, the conference is sponsored by the Virginia Law & Business Review, a student-run journal focused on publishing scholarship at the intersection between law and business.

"The economic crisis is currently a hot topic in the news and is affecting all of us personally," said conference organizer Fiona Worrall, a second-year law student. "This symposium will help students understand what went wrong, as well as the debate over the corrective measures being taken by the government."

Speakers include the chairman of the board of Virginia National Bank, the managing director of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, an expert on distressed investment banking and Darden School of Business dean Robert F. Bruner. Law School Dean Paul G. Mahoney will moderate a practitioners' panel that concludes the symposium at 3 p.m.

For information, contact Fiona Worrall at fw3y@virginia.edu.

The conference schedule follows:

GLOBAL CREDIT CRISIS: THE INTERNATIONAL ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES
Virginia Law and Business Review Symposium
Friday, Feb. 13


9 a.m.: Continental breakfast

9:10 a.m.: Welcome. Fiona Worrall, Virginia Law & Business Review

9:15 a.m.: Introduction. Professor Frank Warnock, Darden School of Business

9:45 a.m.: "Anticipating the Next Round of Country Defaults: What Can We Do to Minimize the Pain?" Professor Mitu Gulati, Duke University School of Law

10:45 a.m.: "The Impact of the Current Crisis on the Future of Corporate Governance." Professor Charles Elson, University of Delaware

11:45 p.m.: Lunch

12 p.m.: "C'mon, Let's All Belly Up To The Bailout Bar!" Mark Giles, chairman of the board, Virginia National Bank

12:45 p.m.: "Losing the First Dollar: The Current IPO Slowdown, its Implications, and What it Takes to Make the Market Work Again," Arnold Evans, managing director, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

1:45 p.m.: "Whither Bailouts: What’s A Government To Do?" Peter Kaufman, president and head of restructuring and distressed M&A, Gordian Group

2:45 p.m.: Break     

3 p.m.: Practitioner Panel on the Current Economic Crisis. Moderator: Dean Paul G. Mahoney, University of Virginia School of Law. Panelists include Dean Robert F. Bruner, Darden School of Business; Ned Kelly, Head, Global Banking and Citi Alternative Investments, Institutional Clients Group; Chip MacDonald, Partner, Jones Day.

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