Presented by the UNC Law Alumni Association
February 13, 2026 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
UNC School of Government
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Join UNC School of Law alumni and students for a day of legal education and receive five hours of CLE credit and one hour of ethics, with sessions instructed by members of our community.
CLE sessions include:
| Updates from Carolina Law’s Supreme Court Program | Elizabeth Fisher ’19, Wiley Rein F. Andrew Hessick, Interim Dean and Judge John J. Parker Distinguished Professor of Law Rick Simpson ’77, Wiley Rein Materials: Handout, Slides |
| The Front-Line Legal Response to Natural Disasters: Two Mayors’ Perspectives Post-Helene | Rebecca Badgett, Teaching Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government, UNC School of Government Hon. Esther Manheimer ’98, Mayor, Asheville, N.C. Hon. Zeb Smathers ’08, Mayor, Canton, N.C. Materials: Slides |
| Merchant Cash Advances (MCA): Fast Cash, Flexible Terms, and the Law Behind Them | Kara Bruce, Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Law Materials: Slides, The Murky Process of Characterizing Merchant Cash Advance Agreements, Revenue-Based Finance in Bankruptcy and Beyond |
| Jefferson, Adams and Tacitus: Perspectives on the Framers and the Classics | Martin H. Brinkley ’92, Dean Emeritus and William Rand Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law Materials: Handout, Tacitus’ Annals, Slides |
| The Changing First Amendment | Mark Storslee, Associate Professor and C. Boyden Gray Distinguished Scholar Materials: Slides |
| AI Panel | Patricia Brown ’86, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, SAS Wab Kadaba ’97, Chair, Kilpatrick John Sieman ’07, Patent Counsel, SAS Materials: Slide |
Important program information:
- Registration Fee: $100.
- Five hours of general CLE and one hour of ethics are approved by the North Carolina State Bar.
- Carolina Law will file CLE credits in North Carolina and will provide attendance certification for out of state attendees.
| Festival Schedule | |
| 8-9 a.m. | Check in & Continental Breakfast |
| 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | CLE Sessions (lunch provided) |
| 5-6:30 p.m. | Alumni and Student Reception |