NEWS INDEX Archives 2004 March

Changes in corporate legal structures to be topic of Chicago conference

Mark Reutter, Business & Law Editor
217-333-0568; mreutter@uiuc.edu

3/31/04

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Changes in corporate legal structures will be the focus of a conference sponsored by the University of Illinois College of Law April 23 (Friday) at the Illini Center, 200 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

The conference, titled “Uncorporations: A New Age?” will examine the new types of corporate structures that are replacing traditional partnerships, close corporations and limited liability companies.

Based on a contractual partnership model rather than a corporate model, the structures raise questions about the survival of the traditional corporate form, according to Larry E. Ribstein, the Corman Professor of Law at the Illinois College of Law.

“Despite the significance of these developments, until now there has been no forum to explore them in depth,” said Ribstein, who organized the conference. “Although there have been many conferences on unincorporated firms, these have consisted mainly of specialists in this area. None has focused the attention of major corporate theorists on this topic.”

Ribstein said the new types of organization have been spurred by “changes in tax laws, the creative efforts of lawyers and state legislatures, and basic changes in the structure of firms.”

The developments, in turn, have important implications for such issues “as the nature of contracting in business associations, the effects of jurisdictional competition and regulatory arbitrage, and the future of limited liability,” the Illinois law professor said.

The conference will feature several panel discussions, each with one or two main scholarly papers and one or two commentators.

Fees for the conference are $200 for legal practitioners, $100 for academic participants, and $50 for students.

The fee includes admission to panel sessions, breakfast, lunch and conference materials. Go online for registration and program details.