Attend the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ Transactional Law Bootcamp half-day CLE for a fast-paced, practical deep dive into the deals lawyers actually negotiate. From core contract terms, reps & warranties, indemnities, and R&W insurance to real-world negotiation strategy, this program is designed to sharpen your skills immediately.

Hear directly from experienced attorneys, including an engaging in-house panel, and put your knowledge to work in interactive negotiation exercises. Whether you’re new to transactional work or looking to level up, this is a can’t-miss opportunity to learn by doing.

Sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and Dorsey.

12:00 PM – Registration, Networking & Lunch
An opportunity to connect with fellow attendees and speakers while settling in for an afternoon focused on transactional practice.

12:30 PM – Welcome & Opening Remarks
A brief introduction to the program and an overview of the key themes and objectives for the day.

12:45 PM – Deal Provisions and Market Context
Key provisions that shape and drive transactions - A practitioner-led breakdown of the provisions that define every deal, how they are used to structure agreements and allocate risk, grounded in current market conditions and real transaction experience.

Speakers: Mattison Raiford Spaulding (Vela Wood), Joshua G. Parisi (Akin), and Julia Beckman (Munsch Hardt). 

1:40 PM – Introduction to Deal Negotiation
Approaching negotiation with strategy and intent - From LOI to closing, experienced deal counsel walk through how negotiations actually unfold, including how to identify deal-breakers early, manage competing stakeholder interests, understand your client's real risk tolerance, and keep a transaction on track when it gets complicated.

Speakers: Brandon Hurwitz (Carrington Coleman), Clay Pulliam (Dorsey), and Courtney M. Chouinard (7-Eleven).

2:25 PM – Break

2:35 PM – Deal Room Simulations
Applying core concepts in a live negotiation setting - Attendees split into small groups to negotiate heavily contested deal provisions using fact patterns drawn from actual transaction dynamics. Facilitators debrief each round on how the parties allocated risk and whether they got the best deal for their client.

Speakers: Ben Sharp (Akin), Sean Buckley (Dykema), Jordan Bailey (Pivnick Firm), and Michelle Morgan (Shackelford, McKinley & Norton).

3:40 PM – Deal Team Perspectives: In-House & Outside Counsel Panel
Insights from both sides of the deal table - General counsel and outside deal counsel share candid perspectives on what it is actually like to sit across the table from each other, how priorities diverge, what outside counsel gets wrong about in-house constraints, and what makes a young transactional attorney stand out.

Speakers: Stephanie Culpepper (Lument), Dena Stroh (NTTA), Melanie Terrell (NTTA), and Kathryn D. Betts (United Flow Technologies).

4:25 PM – Break

4:35 PM – Deal Room Simulations
Advancing negotiation skills through more complex scenarios - Advanced simulations covering provisions most fought over in middle-market deals. Attendees apply lessons from earlier sessions to more complex, higher-stakes fact patterns and risk allocation decisions.

Speakers: Mark Melton (Holland & Knight), Chauncey Lane (Holland & Knight), and Katie Hull (Wick Phillips).

5:20 PM – Key Takeaways & Wrap-Up
A concise synthesis of key themes and practical insights from the program.

5:30 PM – Happy Hour (Sponsored by Dorsey)
An opportunity to continue conversations and connect with speakers and attendees.

Thank you to our event sponsors!