HBS Association of Orange County

Every enterprise—especially emerging, entrepreneurial and smaller companies—needs a world-class, internal legal function. In an uncertain economic climate, CEOs of small- and mid-sized companies can't afford to take unnecessary risks or to lose precious profits with a badly structured transaction or a hasty management move; but the high cost and hourly rate structure of traditional law firms creates challenges. I nnovaCounsel is reshaping the way businesses utilize legal services with an innovative structure that allows small- and mid-sized companies to enjoy all the advantages of a talented and experienced in-house general counsel for an affordable flat monthly fee.

InnovaCounsel partners, Stuart Blake and David Blackwood, will explain how this unique arrangement gives companies the peace of mind of having thorough and experienced legal counsel as part of their management teams without the sky-high costs of a traditional law firm—and with none of the overhead of adding a new department. Learn how this new model is allowing companies of all sizes to retain the general counsel they need to mitigate risk and seize opportunities for continuing growth

When and Where:

7:00 - 9:00 a.m, Thursday, September 27th
The University Club
801 E. Peltason (UCI Campus), Irvine 92617

Cost: (includes parking)

Pre-Paid Members: $20

Pre-Paid Non-Members: $25

Crimson Circle Members: These Events are Included in your Membership

All Tickets will be $35 at the Door

Open to All Orange County Business People

Select the “Friends of HBS Alumni Association of OC” ticket
on the registration page if not a member of HBSAOC

Bring a Friend or Associate;
All OC Business People are Welcome

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Speakers:

Stuart B. Blake, Founder and Partner

Stuart Blake is an attorney with more than 30 years of in-house corporate legal experience. He has vast knowledge of the legal issues involved in consumer products industries, for which he has counseled on general business, commercial contracts, employment matters, litigation mergers and acquisitions, and corporate compliance and government. He has built a solid track record of forging successful working relationships with executive management teams. Blake was the vice president, general counsel and secretary of Kinko’s, Inc. for five years; the vice president, general counsel and secretary for Baskin-Robbins, USA, Co. for six years; and spent six years as corporate counsel and senior corporate counsel with the Burger King Corporation. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Community Services Branch of the YMCA of Orange County and the Board of Directors of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel America (ACCA).

David M. Blackwood, Partner

David Blackwood is an attorney with more than 25 years of experience, nearly 20 years of which have been as general counsel. Blackwood has in-depth industry experience in the accounting, investment banking and consumer electronics industries and has particular legal expertise in general business matters, complex contract negotiation, litigation management, employment law, mergers & acquisitions, product marketing and distribution, intellectual property and compliance. As general counsel, Blackwood has worked closely with CEOs, CFOs and other members of senior management as a trusted business and legal advisor.

Blackwood came to InnovaCounsel from McGladrey, the fifth largest accounting firm in the U.S., where he served as assistant general counsel of RSM McGladrey. Blackwood also served as executive vice president and general counsel of McGladrey Capital Markets LLC (recently acquired by D.A. Davidson Equity Markets), an international investment bank specializing in middle-market mergers & acquisitions. Prior to his 11 years at McGladrey, Blackwood served almost 9 years as executive vice president and general counsel of Canon Computer Systems, the computer peripheral systems subsidiary of Canon Inc., where he helped grow the company from a start-up to a $1.4B market leader. Prior to his in-house legal career, Blackwood was a transactional attorney at several prominent firms in New York City.