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Jennifer L. Weaver
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Jennifer has experience in the areas of corporate law, employment law, mergers and acquisitions, and a historical practice in estate planning that allows her to bring a unique perspective to business owners throughout the life cycle of a business, from start-up to growth to sale or transition.
Jennifer has been practicing law at Manning Fulton since 2003.
About
Jennifer enjoys a practice focused on general corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, business succession planning and employment law. With a practice that straddles Manning Fulton’s Raleigh and Durham offices, and living in Durham, Jennifer enjoys working with clients throughout the Triangle and the state.
Jennifer’s clients are typically closely-held or family-owned businesses, ranging from start-ups and mom-and-pop businesses with fewer than ten employees up to large companies with several hundred employees. They include medical practices, engineering and professional services firms, retail and wholesale sales organization, manufacturers, technology companies, restaurants, property management and real estate development companies, and even a few other law firms.
Corporate Practice: In her corporate practice, Jennifer counsels clients on the tax and business implications related to the formation, operation, conversion and termination of S-corps, limited liability companies, joint ventures and partnerships. She serves as counsel to companies with regard to ongoing corporate and business matters, including drafting and negotiating contracts and licenses. The transition of a business, either through merger/acquisition or through estate planning, can be uncertain and stressful. With an eye toward the end goal, Jennifer guides clients through the initial stages of LOIs and term sheets, through the due diligence process and negotiates on their behalf to a closed transaction. Jennifer also works with business owners to structure wealth and business transfers, including business succession planning, family limited partnerships, and limited liability companies, focusing on seamless transitions from one generation to the next in the event that business owners have decided to transition businesses to employees or children.
Employment Law Practice: Understanding that employers vest considerable resources in their employees, as well as their proprietary information, trade secrets, and customer relationships, Jennifer helps her clients with a proactive focus. She believes that good planning on the front end will alleviate myriad problems on the back end and protect an employer’s valuable investments. A clear and solid hiring process is the first step. A well-drafted handbook follows, in step with well-drafted employment, nondisclosure, non-competition, non-solicitation, and severance agreements. She also works with employers to reduce the risks of using independent contractors by helping them negotiate and draft their agreements with those service providers.
Using her experience in corporate transactions and employment law, Jennifer is able to help clients anticipate and address employment-related issues in corporate transactions, including conducting employment-related due-diligence, negotiating executive employment and noncompetition agreements, and assisting with post-closing workforce integration.
Credentials
Education
- Duke University School of Law (J.D., 2001) Taylor Albright Scholar and Merit Scholarship
- Smith College (B.A., 1993) Psi Chi Honor Society, Dean’s List,
Admitted to Practice
- State of North Carolina, 2001
- United States District Court for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina, 2001
Professional Memberships & Activities
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Business Organizations, Corporate Law, and Mergers & Acquisitions Law (2016-2027)
- Recognized by North Carolina Super Lawyers (2017-2026) for Business & Corporate, Employment & Labor, and Mergers & Acquisitions
- Rising Star – 2009-2011
- Listed in Business North Carolina Magazine’s Legal Elite in the practice area of Corporate Law (2012, 2014, 2016-2018, 2020-2022, 2024-2026) and in the Young Guns category (2008)
- North Carolina Bar Association (2001-2024)
- Business Law Section – Vice Chair (2024-2025)
- Business Law Council (2013-2024)
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- North Carolina Secretary of State Liaison (2016-2024)
- Secretary – 2013-2015
- Co-Chair – Business Law and International Law and Practice Sections Joint Annual Meetings – Co-Chair – 2014
- Planning Committee – Business Law and International Law and Practice Sections Joint Annual Meetings – 2013
- Planner – Basics of Business Law – 2012
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- Women in the Profession Committee
- Business Law Council (2013-2024)
- Wake County Bar Association
- Durham County Bar Association
- Manning Fulton Practice Group Co-Leader, Corporate/Tax/Estates Section (2022-2024)
Representative Transactions
Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Represented family office of real estate investment and management company holding over 300 units
- Created portfolio of standard documents for software company
- Sale of insurance company to strategic buyer
- Represented agricultural company in multi-million dollar cooperative arrangement
- Directed diligence and negotiated risk allocation in $70,000,000 sale for 15 location Raleigh-HQ retail company to private equity fund
- Raleigh-based software company to venture backed strategic acquiror
- International services company with Raleigh HQ in sale to private equity company for $50,000,000
- Nationwide services company with Raleigh HQ in $40,000,000 sale to private equity fund
- Raleigh-based construction company in purchase of specialty subcontractor
- Raleigh-based security company in sale to strategic acquiror
- Durham-based family services company in sale to strategic acquiror
- Represented regulatory and clinical contract research organization in the process of substantial due diligence and negotiation of a sale
- Represented traditional industry company with multi-million dollar sale and leaseback transaction
- Represented real estate investment group in purchase of 1,200-acre retirement community
- Represent real estate development companies with the preparation and negotiation of documents associated with assembling investors for purchases of multiple apartment communities
- Represent development companies with the preparation and negotiation of tenants-in-common arrangements associated with purchases of multiple apartment communities
- Represent insurance agencies and investment brokers in their expansion via the purchase of other agencies and companies and in their consolidations by way of the sale of branch offices
- Represented a family-owned funeral home in their sale to a national funeral home company
- Represented engineering company with regard to internal shareholder disputes, negotiation of shareholder agreements, and negotiation of third-party contracts
- Represented medical practice in the negotiation of a software development agreement
- Represented veterinarian in the sale of interest in veterinary practice and associate real estate
- Represented locally owned landscape company with regard to the due diligence and negotiation of employment agreements associated with a sale to a national landscape company
- Represented New York-based investment group with investment in Texas technology company
- Represented managed hosting company in a $140 million sale to a private equity company
- Represented European company in purchase of private label manufacturing company with production facilities in Honduras and Nicaragua
- Represented pharmaceutical service company in $56 million sale in leveraged buyout transaction
- Represents individual and closely-held buyers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions
- Assisted technology companies with the preparation and implementation of licensing agreements, software agreements and service agreements
- Assisted restaurant and bar with state and federal regulatory matters
- Formed and organized corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships, including preparation of organizational documents, operating agreements, shareholders’ agreements, buy-sell agreements, and joint-venture agreements
- Represents professional groups, including physicians, dentists, and engineers, with general corporate matters, negotiation of shareholders’ agreements and operating agreements, employment agreements and associated negotiations, merger, acquisition and sale transactions
- Represented Raleigh-based dealership in sale to Florida private equity company
- Represented high profile consumer products company in sale to North Carolina private equity company
- Represented regional North Carolina customer services company in purchase of strategic competitor
- Represented local charitable organization in development of community park
- Represented local mechanical products company in purchase of South Carolina strategic competitor
- Represented regional North Carolina greenscapes company in investment from North Carolina private equity company
- Represented local real estate investment company in general corporate restructuring
- Represented local restaurant with general corporate needs
Employment Law
- Negotiated executive employment agreements for business owner in connection with sale of closely-held business
- Conducted due diligence related to employment documentation on behalf of restoration and mitigation company in preparation for acquisition
- Prepared employment agreements and independent contractor agreements for medical device company
- Prepared detailed employee handbooks for insurance agencies, law firms, trade organizations and physician practices
- Conducted sexual harassment investigation for established manufacturing company and managed internal structural changes and updates to policies and procedures in light of the investigation
- Prepared standard employment agreements, non-disclosure agreements and noncompetition agreements for many clients across various industries
Family Business/Succession Planning
- Negotiated transition of family real estate business from founder to children and identified resulting estate planning changes and gifting program
- Assisted family insurance business in strategic transfer of stock of company to children involved in the business
- Assisted founder of family real estate business in strategic estate planning and gifting program to support continued success of business
Community Engagement
St. Philips Episcopal Church
Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Executive Women’s Task Force 2009-2010, 2011-2012
- Chair 2010-2011
Working Mothers Task Force 2011-2012
- Chair 2011-2012
North Carolina School-Based Health Alliance (NCSBHA)
- Board of Directors 2010-2016
North Carolina Museum of Life and Science