Startup Exits Explained: IPOs, M&A, and the Lawyer’s Role
2026-02-05 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Alumni Reception Center, 200 McAllister St, San Francisco, 94102, United States
What does it really mean for a startup to “exit”? From strategic M&A to IPOs and secondary transactions, exits are defining moments for founders, investors, and counsel alike. This lunch-time panel brings together company counsel, investor counsel, and buyer counsel to unpack how exits actually work in practice, with a particular focus on M&A transactions. The discussion will explore how incentives diverge among stakeholders, how the exit market has evolved, and where junior lawyers can add real value early in their careers.
Francesca Crisera Ruiz, M&A Partner at Squire Patton Boggs (Hastings ‘04)
Heidi Walas, Corporate ECVC Partner at Gunderson Dettmer (Hastings ’07)
Jake Winton, Associate General Counsel at 8VC (Hastings ’20)
Moderator: Professor Evan Epstein, UC Law SF

The 2026 Wiley Manuel Lecture - The Big Sort: Reconciling College, Opportunity and Racial Justice in American Society
2026-02-10 12:30 - 13:30 | Deb Colloquium Room, 333 Golden Gate, San Francisco, CA, United States
RSVP To Attend In-Person
RSVP To Attend Virtually

CEALS & CBL Present - Chinese Investment in the United States: Market Entry, Compliance, and Geopolitical Risk
2026-02-25 16:30 - 18:00 | Alumni Reception Center, 200 McAllister St, San Francisco, 94102, United States
For over a decade, China’s annual outbound investment has placed it among the top three sources of outbound investment globally. Prior to the U.S.-China trade war, the U.S. market was a top destination for Chinese investment. As geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China rise, the flow of new Chinese investment to the U.S. is slowing, and Chinese firms are grappling with complex new legal, business, and regulatory challenges. The Center for East Asian Legal Studies and the Center for Business Law are pleased to welcome a distinguished panel of practitioners and advisors to share current insights on the operation and challenges of Chinese firms in the U.S. market.

Panelists include Kevin Cao, Partner at K&L Gates; Darlene Chiu-Bryant, Executive Director of Global SF; Jenny Liu, Partner at Pillsbury, and Keliang (Clay) Zhu, Partner at DeHeng Law Offices.
Sponsors: Center for East Asian Legal Studies and the Center for Business Law

This event is open to the public.

Time: 4:30 to 6:00pm on Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Location: Alumni Reception Center at University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.
A reception will follow the panel.

RSVP here
