Business Startup Speaker Series: Legal 101 for Startup Businesses

Mackensie Graham, Associate Attorney, BrownWinick

Mackensie K. Graham is an associate attorney at BrownWinick based in the firm’s Coralville office. Mackensie collaborates with a diverse set of clients in the broad practice areas of employment and labor and business and corporate and is based in the Iowa City area. Even if she has never encountered a clients particular legal issue before, Mackensie will put in the work to learn about the landscape of their industry and the parameters of the problem. Whether it’s forming a business, navigating a tricky employment complaint, or keeping operations compliant, she meets her clients where they’re at with a dedicated optimism and a stubborn commitment to finding workable solutions.

Mackensie views herself as a connector of good people doing interesting things. Her background in communications and public policy informs her approach to dynamic problem solving and client-empowered advocacy. As someone who takes the“counselor” part of her job seriously, she believes strongly in making the legal system more accessible; she does so, in part, through breaking down complex legal conceptsand offering approachable, non-judgmental advice.

Before graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law, Mackensie earned a Master’s in Public Policy through the University of Northern Iowa and her Bachelor’s from Drake University. During her time in law school, she represented and advocated for the interests of nearly 10,000 students as President of Graduate and Professional Student Government. She mentored Student Writers in her role as Note & Comment Editor for the Iowa Law Review and collaborated with amazing clients as a Student Practitioner with the Community Empowerment Law Project. She was also the Iowa Student Bar Association Representative to the Iowa Law School Foundation. In 2021 she received the Hancher-Finkbine Distinguished Student Leader Award. Mackensie is a member of the Iowa State and American Bar Associations.

Thomas J. Bush, Associate Attorney, Shuttleworth and Ingersoll, P.L.C.

Thomas is a transactional business attorney with a primary focus in the areas of equity financing, securities, sales and acquisitions of businesses, business contracts, and real estate. Typical work for Thomas includes:

• Start-Up and Entrepreneur Law – Representing companies in all stages of the formation process, from initial formation through mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and divestitures.
• Equity Finance and Securities Law – Representing clients in securities offerings (including Common and Preferred Stock, S.A.F.E.s, and Convertible Notes) and securities compliance issues.
• Mergers and Acquisitions – Representing clients in the purchase and sale of companies, including asset, stock, and merger based transactions.

Bill J. Daly, Senior Vice President, Shuttleworth and Ingersoll, P.L.C.

Bill’s practice focuses on transactional and business law, finance, securities, sales and acquisitions of businesses, business contracts, and real estate. Bill serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Startups & Innovators Practice Group, Chair of the Firm’s Securities & Equity Finance Practice Group, member of the Firm’s Compensation Committee, and Member and Past-Chair of the Firm’s Recruiting Committee. Typical work for Bill includes:

• Start-Up & Entrepreneur Law – Representing new companies in all stages, ranging from initial formation through mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and divestitures.
• Equity Finance and Securities Law – Representing clients in securities offerings and securities compliance issues.
• Mergers & Acquisitions – Representing clients in the purchase and sale of companies, including asset, stock, and merger based transactions.
• General Corporate and Corporate Governance – Representing companies in all aspects of corporate matters, including board and shareholder governance matters.
• Outside General Counsel & General Contract Review – Preparing, negotiation, and reviewing all forms of business contracts for clients.

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