JEFFREY BENZ

Currently lead a team of five attorneys and four support staff to (1) provide timely legal services to business units throughout the Asia-Pacific Region, including China and India, and (2) revise and streamline organizational standard operating procedures to ensure compliance and enhance efficiency while mitigating risk.

Legal advice ranges from general corporate and transactional advice to advising on non-profit, tax, charity and political law matters, including lobbying, electioneering, private benefit, Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) compliance, and charitable solicitation issues. Also advise on complex transactions, contracts, private and government grants, regulatory matters and general labor and employment issues. Participate in crisis and risk management efforts, and advise on staff safety situations. Cultivate and manage relationships with regional pro bono law firms and hire and manage paid outside counsel.

Project Highlights:

• Led a strategic planning effort for the Legal Department, resulting in a three-year strategic plan and companion annual work plan. Currently oversee implementation of the Year Two Work Plan.
• Participate on Asia-Pacific Regional Management Team and provide input on regional conservation, business and strategic issues.
• Led legal structuring and creation of non-profit and for-profit subsidiaries in India in line with regulatory limitations. Advise Indian team on regulatory and compliance issues.
• Project lead for team developing a FARA compliance program, including compliance with state and international political influence laws.
• Created and managed a risk management framework for the Legal Department.
• Developed and implemented an anti-bribery and anti-corruption compliance program, including drafting of standard operating procedure and guidance manual.
• Oversaw establishment of Legal Department diversity, equity and inclusion team.
• Lead attorney for a successful impact investment project; responsible for deal structuring, compliance with foreign securities and investment adviser regulations, negotiation of project agreements, and management of outside counsel.
• Oversaw legal team for several large real estate acquisitions, including joint venture structuring.
• Lead attorney for a private-public cooperative venture designed to address supply chain sustainability. Responsible for legal structuring and negotiation of agreements with foreign government counsel.
• Robert W. Wilson Fellow, 2019, Harvard Business School Program on Strategic Management for Environmental Leaders.

• Lead attorney for Australia, China, Hong Kong, Melanesia, Micronesia and the Palmyra Program; shared duties for the Hawaii business unit.

• Drafted and negotiated real property purchase and sale agreements, option agreements, licenses, easements, leases, subleases, development agreements, LLC operating agreements, and confidentiality agreements.

Drafted deal documents for start-up companies, including term sheets, articles of incorporation, and employment agreements.

• Drafted loan documents, including unsecured credit agreements, guarantees, and stock pledge agreements. Multi-jurisdictional research and analysis on securities pledging.

• United States District Court, Southern District of California. Six-month clerkship at the request of Judge Brewster.

• United States District Court, Southern District of California. Performed legal research and analysis for civil and criminal cases. Reviewed motions and provided recommendations to the Judge. Drafted bench memos and orders.