2026 NJSBA Business Law Symposium
Date: Jun 4, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, and Online
Member Price: $203.00
Non-Member Price: $254.00
Section Price: $191.00
Areas of Law: Business
Earn up to 7 credits, including 1.2 in Ethics! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
- Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa, Esq.
- Archer & Greiner, Hackensack
Presenters
- Timothy P. Duggan, Esq.
- Stark & Stark, Hamilton
- Steven J. Eisenstein, Esq.
- Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C., Roseland
- Brian W. Hofmeister, Esq.
- Law Firm of Brian W. Hofmeister, Lawrence
- Darko Naumoski, CPA
- WilkinGuttenplan, PC, East Brunswick
- Vinay S. Navani, CPA, CGMA, MBA, MS
- WilkinGuttenplan, PC, East Brunswick
- Jason D. Navarino, Esq.
- Past Chair, Taxation Law Section
McCarter & English, LLP, Newark - Christina Silva, Esq.
- Jackson Lewis, P.C., Berkeley Heights
- Paula H. Simpkins, Esq.
- Corp-Tech Law, Piscataway
- Rachel Lilienthal Stark, Esq.
- Stark & Stark, Hamilton
Presented in cooperation with the NJSBA Business Law Section
The popular Business Law Symposium is back in 2026 with up to the minute information in today’s rapidly changing business law climate.
Business law practice in 2026 is defined less by settled doctrine and more by how quickly risk, regulation, and client expectations are evolving. Governance structures are being stress-tested, tax frameworks are shifting in real time, and technology, particularly AI, is reshaping how legal work is performed, documented, and scrutinized.
The 2026 NJSBA Business Law Symposium is designed for experienced practitioners who need to stay ahead of these changes, not in theory, but in practice. We are bringing together leading lawyers and advisors to examine where traditional approaches are holding, where they are breaking down, and how to adapt with clarity and precision.
Across a full day of focused sessions, faculty will address the decisions business lawyers are making now: how to structure entities for durability and growth, how to navigate post-OBBBA tax realities, how to manage employment and AI-related risk, and how to advise clients facing financial distress. The program also integrates practical ethics guidance and technology insights that reflect the realities of modern legal practice.
This is not a fundamentals program. It is a current, practice-driven update for lawyers advising businesses in a rapidly shifting environment.
Program Agenda:
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9:00 | Welcome and Introduction
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9:10 | Corporate and LLC Governance in 2026: Structuring for Growth, Guarding Against Exposure - Rachel Lilienthal Stark, Esq.
Entity statutes may be stable, but governance risk is not. As companies grow, early structural and documentation decisions are increasingly tested under pressure. Gain the latest updates for:
- Formation-state and structural decisions and how they perform as ownership and control evolve
- Governance breakdowns seen in scaling companies
- The practical risks of Zoom meetings, recordings, AI note-takers, and expanded discovery exposure
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9:55 | Introduction to International Tax Law: What Business Lawyers Need to Know Now - Darko Naumoski, CPA; Vinay S. Navani, CPA, CGMA, MBA, MS and Jason D. Navarino, Esq.
An applied overview of international tax concepts for business lawyers advising cross-border activity, including:
- Common transaction structures and reporting obligations
- Key forms and compliance frameworks
- Practical scenarios encountered in everyday client work -
10:40 | Break
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10:50 | Choice of Business Entity in a Post-OBBBA Landscape - Jason D. Navarino, Esq.
The 2025 legislation commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has introduced significant planning opportunities and complexity. Gain up to date insights on:
- New deduction opportunities and planning considerations
- Evolving QSBS rules and implications for C corporation shareholders
- QBI and SALT considerations for pass-through entities
- Strategic factors influencing entity selection in the current environment
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11:50 | Lunch
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12:30 | Employment Law Update: Emerging Risks and Practical Implications - Christina Silva, Esq.
A focused update on developments affecting business clients, including:
- Restrictive covenants and enforceability trends
- Pay transparency requirements
- Independent contractor classification
- The growing legal risk associated with AI in hiring and workplace management
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1:20 | AI Tools for Business Lawyers: Practical Selection and Risk Management - Steven J. Eisenstein, Esq. and Paula H. Simpkins, Esq.
AI adoption is accelerating and so are the risks. This session will address:
- What to look for in legal AI tools
- Efficiency gains versus confidentiality and privilege concerns
- Governance and internal controls around AI use in legal practice
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2:00 | Break
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2:10 | Advising Distressed Businesses: Strategic Options and Trade-Offs - Timothy P. Duggan, Esq. and Brian W. Hofmeister, Esq.
Guidance on navigating financial distress with a focus on maximizing value and minimizing risk, including:
- Assignment for the benefit of creditors versus bankruptcy
- Section 363 sales and when they are appropriate
- Practical considerations in advising stakeholders under pressure
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2:50 | Navigating Ethics in LLC Formation - Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa, Esq.
A practical review of ethical obligations in LLC formation, including:
- Competence
- Confidentiality
- Client communications
- Client identification
- Conflicts
- Conflict waivers
- Contract drafting errors
- Contract negotiations
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3:50 | Q&A and Closing Remarks
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4:00 | Program Ends
Thank you to our sponsor:
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