is a managing shareholder in the firm of Garcia & Gurney, where she has practiced in the areas of business and employment law since 2000. She regularly counsels companies in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, employment, executive compensation, intellectual property, international business transactions, formations, and commercial real estate transactions. Ms. Garcia has taught continuing legal education courses on the formation, taxation and operation of limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships in California. She has educated business owners all over California through presentations on business law and employment issues. Ms. Garcia understands the legal and practical challenges small businesses face, because she has first-hand knowledge in running a small business. In 2011, she received the Woman Entrepreneur Award Winner in the Professional category from the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment. In 2008, Ms. Garcia was named one of three finalists in the Hispanic Business Magazine Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for Entrepreneurial Excellence in the Latina Entrepreneur category. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and her J.D. degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. Ms. Garcia is a member of the State Bar of California (Employment, and Business sections), Santa Clara and Eastern Alameda bar associations, and prestigious Alliance of CEOs.

is a partner at the Los Angeles office of Harris Sliwoski LLP, an international emerging markets law firm. He has represented hundreds of clients in highly regulated, controlled substances markets. Mr. Thorne's practice includes M&A, commercial transactions, real estate leasing and dispositions, equity and debt finance transactions, and general regulatory guidance. He also assists clients with specific regulatory issues from applying for competitive and non-competitive local and state government licenses, through day-to-day regulatory compliance. Mr. Thorne began his career litigating high-stakes intellectual property and commercial litigation cases at one of the largest law firms in the United States, where he argued motions before state and federal courts and the California Court of Appeals. As a former litigator, he is intimately familiar with common contract negotiation and drafting issues that can lead to business and contract disputes. Mr. Thorne was one of the leading vice chairs in the first panel of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Cannabis Section. He writes weekly for the Canna Law Blog, and has written a variety of cannabis-related articles for a number of legal publications. Prior to beginning his legal career, Mr. Thorne studied music at the University of California, Berkeley. After Berkeley, he attended law school at Loyola University of Chicago, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Loyola University Chicago Law Journal.

is a partner and chair of Harris Sliwoski LLP's corporate practice group, and managing attorney of the firm's Salt Lake City office where he helps entrepreneurs, companies, and venture capital and private equity funds with international and domestic business transactions. His clientele stretches across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Mr. Bench has worked and consulted in the U.S., Asia and South America and is fluent in Chinese and Cantonese. National and global trade organizations regularly invite him to speak regarding international business transactions, particularly foreign direct investment to and from the U.S. and China, as well as alternatives to the China market. Mr. Bench is also on the Board of Directors for World Trade Center Utah and mentors entrepreneurs through various nonprofit organizations. He is an emerging legal expert in the fast-moving and complex web3 ecosystem, including business and regulatory issues surrounding decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), smart contracts, decentralized finance (defi), cryptocurrencies, coins, and tokens, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Mr. Bench has worked on wide-ranging blockchain projects involving various international DAO communities, NFT artists and studios, layer-2 blockchain developers, metaverse companies, and celebrity brand influencers. He is a regular contributor to the award-winning China Law Blog, where he shares his practical insights into navigating business activities in China and with Chinese companies. Mr. Bench also frequently writes for our HS Blog and various legal publications on global business matters and blockchain legal developments. Recently, he was recognized as a top author on Lexology. Mr. Bench earned his B.A. degree from Brigham Young University, his M.B.A. from The George Washington University School of Business and his J.D. degree from The George Washington University Law School. He is a member of the Utah State Bar, Washington State Bar Association and the Maine State Bar Association.

, CPA/ABV, CFE with Shane Read CPA Accountancy, specializes in business valuation and litigation support relating to financial issues. His experience encompasses a wide range of issues in family law and civil litigation, including business appraisals, tracing of separate property, income available for support, damage analysis, and uncovering unreported income and hidden assets. Mr. Read graduated with a M.S. degree in accounting from the University of Tampa and has been working in public accounting since 2007. While in Tampa, he gained three years of experience in external audit and income tax preparation. Mr. Read is licensed as a certified public accountant by the state of California. He has served as a court appointed expert under Evidence Code 730. Mr. Read is a certified fraud examiner, and has been given the title of accredited business valuator by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He appreciates the growth opportunities and challenges that business valuation and litigation support afford.

is a partner in the firm of Wilkes & Dunn. She recently moved her practice to Yates Center, Kansas from Kansas City, Kansas, where she continues to emphasize the areas of probate, estate planning, small business and real estate. Ms. Wilkes belongs to the Kansas Bar Association, Wyandotte County Bar Association and the Southeast Kansas Bar Association. She earned her B.A. degree from Wichita State University and her J.D. degree from University of Missouri in Kansas City, both with distinction. Ms. Wilkes is licensed to practice law in Kansas and Oklahoma.