The Benefit Corp Revolution: What it Means for Businesses, Non-Profits and You

Hanson Bridgett and Full Circle Fund are teaming up to bring you an exclusive opportunity to learn from the experts about the new Benefit Corporation revolution taking place in California. Benefit Corporations are a new and innovative corporate charter, available in only seven states, allowing a company's governing board to consider social or environment objectives ahead of profits. The legal structure of a Benefit Corporation is designed to shield the board from investor lawsuits, so companies that care about more than just their bottom line now have the opportunity to do well AND do good. Hanson Bridgett Partner Jonathan Storper was instrumental in passing the new legislation which went into effect on January 1, 2012.

Moderated by Hanson Bridgett attorney and GEO Circle Co-Chair Leslie Keil, our presenters will dig into the nuts and bolts of the B-Corp designation and Benefit Corporation charters, how they differ from non-profits and other for-profits, and why this is an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors.

Don't miss your chance to find out why California Benefit Corporations and B Corp designations nationwide will have groundbreaking ramifications for the for-profit and non-profit sectors.

The Presenters:

Jonathan Storper
Partner, Sustainable Business Group Chair
Hanson Bridgett

Dermot Hikisch
Director of Business Development
B Lab

Josh Becker
General Partner, New Cycle Capital
Full Circle Fund Board Chair

Tuesday, February 28th
6:00pm - 8:00pm

Hanson Bridgett LLP
425 Market Street, 26th Floor
San Francisco, California
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Upcoming Sustainable Business Leadership Forum - March

How to Grow Your Company (and what to do once you reach scale)

Purchasing office supplies for businesses and creating award winning toys: what might two businesses teach us about social impact? Growth is often a pre-requisite for business success. To grow successfully, businesses need to build upon their success with current customers and grow outward from there. Mike Hannigan (CEO of Give Something Back), Daniel Grossman (Wild Planet Toys) and Scott Leonard (Indigenous Designs) will share insights from their personal experiences on leading socially responsible businesses, how they expand market share, new market opportunities, and pursue new customers. Join us for an engaging evening of innovative thinking and shared insights from two leading entrepreneurs.

Presenters:
Danny Grossman, Wild Planet Toys
Mike Hannigan, Give Something Back
Scott Leonard, Indigenous Designs

Moderator:
Teresa Pahl, Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP

Thursday March 15th
5:30pm – 8:00pm

Hanson Bridgett LLP
425 Market Street, 26th Floor
San Francisco, California
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Upcoming Sustainable Business Leadership Forum - May

The Art and Science of Raising Capital

Thursday May 17th
5:30pm

Speakers to be announced.

Hanson Bridgett LLP
425 Market Street, 26th Floor
San Francisco, California
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Green Refinance Plus: A New Option for Senior Care Refinancing and Acquisitions
by David Longinotti and Annette Mathai-Jackson

HUD and Fannie Mae's new Green Refinance Plus program provides financing for the acquisition and refinance of affordable senior care communities that offers an additional 5% of loan proceeds to be used for green retrofit and other property improvements. What are the benefits, eligibility requirements, and conditions of participation in this new program?

Read More »

Hanson Bridgett welcomes Derek A. Ridgway as the firm continues to expand its East Bay office. Read more »

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Jonathan Storper shown in a photo essay featured in the Daily Kos covering January 3rd, 2012 at the Secretary of State’s office in Sacramento, where California’s first twelve businesses filed to operate as benefit corporations. See here »

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Teresa Pahl participated in “How Will Service Providers Grow For 2012 and Beyond?” panel with fellow corporate service providers at the 2012 Association of Corporate Growth (ACG) West Coast Corporate Growth Conference last month.

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On February 23rd Jonathan Storper will present "Benefit Corporations:  A New Model for Sustainable Capitalism”​ for the Practicing Law Institute. More information »

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On February 27th Jonathan Storper will participate on a panel discussing Benefit Corporations at​ the East Bay Express’ Progressive Opportunities Conference. Register »

SF Small Business Commission & Small Business California – B Corp & Benefit Corp

Please come join us to discuss B Corporation, benefit corporation, and resources available in San Francisco with Small Business California,  San Francisco Small Business Commission, and benefit corporation policy leaders. 

Moderators:
Scott Hauge - President, Small Business California
Regina Dick-Endrizzi - Exec Director, SF Small Business Commission 

Panelist/Speakers:
Mike Hannigan - Give Something Back
Jared Huffman - Assembly Member
Jonathan Storper - Hanson Bridgett LLP
Andy Fyfe - B Lab 
Leslie A. Keil - Hanson Bridgett LLP

Monday, February 27th
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

HUB SOMA
901 Mission Street
San Francisco, California
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Hub Ventures, a startup accelerator for entrepreneurs building a better world, is now taking applications for our upcoming Spring 2012 cohort. We are looking for startups that have potential for scale, profitability, and significant measurable impact on the world. Entrepreneurs can apply at www.hub-ventures.com/apply, deadline is March 5th. 

About Hub Ventures

Hub Ventures helps high caliber entrepreneurs build their world-changing startups better and faster.  We operate 12-week cohort cycles, during which participating companies receive seed funding and engage in best-in-class mentorship, collaborative sessions with program peers, and workshops on topics relevant to impact-oriented startups.  We also connect companies with our extensive network of investors, throughout the program and at Investor Day.  Hub Ventures is based at the Hub Bay Area, a purpose-driven collaborative workspace with over 1,000 members in San Francisco and Berkeley and connected to 30 other locations through the global Hub network.  Hub Ventures is partnered with Village Capital, Good Capital, SOCAP, and Impact Assets.  For more information, please visit www.hub-ventures.com. 

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Fearless Transformation for Lawyers: Visionary Thinking Inside the Legal System

Please join us, or invite a friend to attend, SVN's next workshop. Led by Judi Cohen, Founder of Warrior One, and Linda Alvarez, Esq., "Fearless Transformation for Lawyers" is a unique lawyers' program offering MCLE credit.  If you work within the legal industry, or you would like your legal counsel to use the tools of conscious lawyering, please spread the word.  Participants will learn how to achieve outstanding results while honoring their social and environmental values.

March 2-4, 2012

Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, California

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Spring Venture Fair 2012

Who should attend?

Angel and other accredited investors, philanthropists, fund managers, family office manages and wealth, financial and philanthropic advisers with their clients. 

What can I expect?

To hear vetted pitches from great for-profit entrepreneurs that are addressing social and environmental issues. We'll look at 15 high-impact deals that are seeking investment and engage in a due diligence process right away.

Presentation Topics

• CleanTech
• Sustainable Consumer Products
• Community & Economic Development
• Health, Biotech & Wellness
• Digital Media & Software
• Education

April 22-24, 2012

Hotel Monaco
501 Geary Street 
San Francisco, California

Event Information Registration »

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March 2012

3/21
East Bay Series: The State of Clean Tech, location TBA

3/19-22 
22nd Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, and Air, San Diego, CA

3/26-28
Cleantech Forum San Francisco, 2012,  San Francisco, CA

May 2012

5/3-5
Women, Economics and Peace: A Summit of Women's Funding Network, Los Angeles, CA

June 2012

6/4-7
Sustainable Brands Conference 2012, San Diego, CA

6/27-29
The XII International Symposium on Environmental Geotechnology, Energy and Global Sustainable Development, Long Beach, CA

September 2012

9/9-13
Climate Ride California 2012, Eureka to San Francisco, CA

October 2012

10/19-21
Bioneers, San Rafael, CA