Creating Enterprise Value: AI, Talent, Risk & Growth Strategies for Agency Leaders:
A Business Conference for Agency CFOs, CEOs, Presidents, Managing Principals & Owners
Program Overview:
This conference is designed to address strategic, financial, operational, and legal issues that can afect agency profitability, valuation, leadership succession, risk management, and long-term enterprise value. Through a combination of expert presentations and executive discussions, attendees will gain practical insights into the opportunities and challenges facing agency leaders in an increasingly complex business environment.
12:00 PM – 12:25 PM
Registration, Lunch and Welcome
12:25 PM – 1:10 PM
AI’s Impact on Agency Processes, Economics, Pricing, and Profitability and Negotiating Agreements With Clients to Address These Issues
Artificial intelligence is reshaping agency operations, economics, client expectations, and risk profiles. This session will examine how agencies can leverage AI to improve eficiency and profitability while addressing evolving contractual and governance considerations.
Topics Covered
What clients to understand about the use of AI, costs and eficiencies.
Intellectual property, ownership and compliance considerations
AI's impact on agency business models and economics
Client expectations regarding AI usage and disclosure
Pitch and procurement pressures
Key contractual protections and risk allocation provision
Governance frameworks for AI review and approval
Speakers: Candice Kersh and Karen Lo (Special Group)
1:10 PM – 1:50 PM
Building an Ownership Culture: Equity Participation & Long-Term Incentive Strategies
Topics Covered
Equity participation structures for key employees and next-generation leaders
Employee Participation Units (EPUs), phantom equity, profits interests, and other incentive alternatives
Balancing founder control with meaningful employee ownership opportunities
Designing long-term incentive programs that align performance and succession goals
Rewarding key contributors without giving up unnecessary control
Roll-over equity particularly in private equity roll ups
Speakers: Wendy Heilbut and Mark Himmelsbach (Episode Four)
1:50 PM - 2:40 PM
Diversification Opportunities, Including SaaS, IP licensing, Investment, and Branded Entertainment
Many agencies are exploring new revenue streams and proprietary assets that can improve growth, valuation, and long-term sustainability.
Topics Covered
SaaS and technology licensing opportunities
Development and monetization of agency intellectual property
Proprietary technology and data products
Strategic investments and ownership interests
Branded entertainment and content ventures
Building value through scalable, non-service-based assets
Speakers: Greg Boyd, Chris Chase and Ben Moskowitz
2:40 PM - 2:55 PM
Networking Break
2:55 PM - 3:55 PM
M&A Readiness, Succession Planning & Deal Structures
Whether you're thinking about growth through acquisition, bringing in an investor, transitioning ownership, or eventually selling your agency, understanding the deal process is critical. This session will demystify how agency transactions work, what to expect during a sale process, and the key deal terms, structures, and negotiation points that can materially afect outcomes for founders and owners.
Topics Covered
Who is buying agencies today and why
Strategic buyers versus private equity investors
What the sale process looks like from start to finish
Valuation drivers and factors that influence deal value
Earn-outs, rollover equity, and other key deal structures
Deal terms that commonly surprise agency owners
Preparing for diligence and avoiding common pitfalls
Building the right advisory team and preparing for a successful transaction
Speakers: Lee Silver, Gavin McElroy and Michael Sidler (Madison Alley)
3:35 PM - 4:15 PM
Talent Risk Management and Employment Issues
Managing talent-related risks has become increasingly challenging, particularly as agencies engage a broader ecosystem of employees, contractors, creators, and influencers.
Topics Covered
Employee versus independent contractor classification
Compensation and payment compliance considerations
California-specific workforce requirements
Background checks and screening practices
Risk management when engaging creators and influencers
Speakers: Wendy Stryker and Tiffany Caterina
4:15 PM - 4:25 PM
Networking & Refreshment Break
4:25 PM - 5:05 PM
Practical Approaches to Contracting, Governance, and Compliance Strategies
As the legal and regulatory environment continues to evolve, agencies must adopt practical operational safeguards that reduce risk and help avoid costly disputes.
Topics Covered
Contracting strategies to mitigate business risk
Risk allocation and indemnification provisions
Ownership and rights-management considerations
Internal governance and approval procedures
Vendor management and oversight
AI governance frameworks
Updating contracts, policies, and workflows to address emerging AI-related risks
Creating practical review processes that reduce liability exposure
Speakers: Matthew Vittone and Andrew Folks
5:05 PM - 5:40 PM
Advertising Technology: Emerging Risks for Agencies
The rapid growth of privacy litigation involving digital tracking technologies is creating new legal challenges for the advertising industry. This session will explore the evolving litigation landscape, the potential exposure of advertising agencies, and practical steps agencies can take to protect themselves and their clients.
Topics Covered
Emerging class action and regulatory risks involving tracking technologies
When advertising agencies may face liability for client websites, apps, marketing pixels, and data collection practices
Allocating risk through client contracts, indemnification, and insurance
Practical strategies for reducing litigation risk without compromising marketing effectiveness
Speakers: Matt Pearson and Caren Decter
5:45 PM - 7:15 PM
Cocktail Reception
Networking reception for agency executives, speakers, sponsors, investors, and advisors.
Brian Maas is quoted in the New York Law Journal and Law 360 in their coverage of the partial settlement between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and former Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP Finance Director Frank Canellas. (Article behind a paywall)
February 25, 2016
Nicole Hyland is mentioned in the Law360 article, "Gibbons Shouldn’t Be DQ’d From Pollution Suit, Rexam Says". View Article
February 22, 2016
Victoria Cook is featured in the Variety article, "Examining Gender Bias in the Documentary World". View Article
February 18, 2016
Victoria Cook is metioned in the Indiewire article, "Women Activists Rocked Sundance, Celebrating a Sea Change". View Article
February 16, 2016
When can a marketer claim that its products are "Made in the USA" if the products contain foreign materials? A recent FTC action provides guidance. Here's what happened. Read more.
February 10, 2016
The Wrap mentions Andrew Hurwitz and Alan Sacks in the article, "Tom Hanks, Emma Watson Thriller ‘The Circle’ Sells to EuropaCorp". View Article
February 9, 2016
Jeffrey Greenbaum is quoted in Mashable,The Washington Post and Media Life Magazine on the budding controversy over Peyton's Manning's post-game endorsement of Budweiser beer.
February 9, 2016
The 2016 BTI Client Service All Star Team's 30 Top IP Lawyers includes Trademark Group chair, Catherine Farrelly. Read more.
February 8, 2016
Thayer Thompson was featured in Law 360 as a "top in-house hire" for his new position as general counsel of Virgin Hotels. Previously, Thompson served for seven years as assistant general counsel at Virgin Management USA Inc., the Virgin Group's corporate development and investment management division, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC and Gibson Dunn. View Article
February 4, 2016
Law 360 mentions Frankfurt Kurnit Klein and Selz for our work on The Authors Guild et al. v. Google Inc. View Article
February 4, 2016
Nicole Hyland was interviewed by Vice about about public defenders, attorney-client privilege, and how Law & Order has skewed Americans' opinions of the justice system in the lead up to Season 2 of 'Better Call Saul.'
February 2, 2016
Hannah E. Taylor is featured in Bloomberg BNA's Electronic Commerce & Law Report in the article, "Social Media Practice". View Article. [Reproduced with permission from Social Media Law & Policy Report,, 5 SMLR 3 (Jan. 20, 2016). Copyright 2016 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (800-372-1033) http://www.bna.com.]
January 28, 2016
Ronald Minkoff is featured in the Law360 article, "NY Rule Change Lets Out-Of-Towners Practice Openly". View Article
January 22, 2016
Frankfurt Kurnit’s Michael P. Frankfurt and Deborah Wolfe attend the Athletes Quarterly Game Plan dinner at STK Downtown presented by The Glenlivet. View Article
January 22, 2016
Hannah Taylor is quoted in the University of Michigan Law School's Quadrangle in the article, "So You Want to Work in Entertainment Law?". View Article
January 20, 2016
Sean Kane is quoted in the Gamasutra article, "What Legal Experts Think of Sony's 'Let's Play' Trademark Claim". View Article
January 19, 2016
There's important news for marketers and agencies considering the Olympic Games in Rio: the deadline for non-sponsors to request an IOC Rule 40 "waiver" is January 27, 2016. Here's a review of Rule 40 and what you need to know to keep your Olympic-themed campaigns on track. Read more.
January 19, 2016
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC has elected Caren Decter and Hayden Goldblatt as counsel effective January 1st, 2016. Read more.
January 19, 2016
Richard Maltz is quoted in ABA/BNA Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct, Current Reports in the article, "New York Standardizes Lawyer Disciplinary Procedures". View Article
January 15, 2016
In a follow-up to its settlement with Focus Education, LLC in January of last year, the FTC recently entered into a $2 million settlement with Lumos Labs over claims that advertising and marketing for its Lumosity "brain training" games misled customers about cognitive benefits. Read more.
January 11, 2016
Greg Boyd is quoted in the WeiserMazars 2015 Media Barometer -- Cyber Security Special Edition. View Article
January 11, 2016
IP litigation partners Edward H. Rosenthal and Jeremy S. Goldman are co-counsel for The Authors Guild in the so-called Google Books case — arguably the most significant copyright case in the courts today. Read more.
January 6, 2016
Victoria Cook's article, "Gender Parity in Documentary Filmmaking Is A Fiction" is featured in Indiewire here. Further commentary on her piece can be found here.
January 5, 2016
Victoria Cook's article, "Demand Equal Representation for Women Documentarians, Too" is featured on the Alliance of Women Film Journalists website. View Article
January 5, 2016
The New York Legal Ethics Reporter published Ronald C. Minkoff and Tyler Maulsby's article, titled "Does N.Y. Judiciary Law §487 Apply to Arbitrations?". View Article
January 3, 2016
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