Lawyer Bio : Ryan B. Opel

Ryan B. Opel

Winston-Salem

Ryan is a Partner practicing in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. He focuses on general corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation, corporate governance, corporate finance, commercial contracts, and franchising.
 
Ryan has significant experience representing clients in the restaurant industry. He is a leader of the firm’s Restaurant Team, which assists restaurant owners and operators (whether they are franchisors, franchisees, or independents) in every aspect of their businesses, including mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, business operations, franchising, distribution, regulatory matters, intellectual property, and dispute resolution.
 
Ryan has been consistently recognized as a member of the North Carolina Legal Elite (Young Guns – Best Lawyers Under 40) and a North Carolina Super Lawyer (Rising Star).
 
A dedicated supporter of the arts, Ryan provides considerable pro bono legal services and other volunteer services to nonprofit arts organizations. In 2008, the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County recognized his dedication and leadership as an arts volunteer by awarding him with the R. Philip Hanes, Jr. Young Leader Award.
 
Representative Matters
 
  • Experience representing public and private companies in general corporate matters, including entity formation, structuring and operation.
  • Mergers and acquisitions experience, including a variety of corporate acquisitions and sales of various types and sizes for both public and private companies in a number of different industries.
  • Securities regulation experience, including assisting public company clients with general securities compliance matters, such as Section 16 reporting, periodic reporting on Forms 8-K, 10-K, and 10-Q and proxy statement preparation.
  • Corporate governance experience, including assisting public company clients with general corporate governance matters, such as board composition, committee charters, director and officer indemnification, special committee matters, and stock ownership guidelines.
  • Corporate finance experience, including assisting public and private company borrowers in their efforts to obtain financing of various types and sizes.
  • Commercial contracts experience, including the review and preparation of commercial contracts for the purchase and sale of goods and services for both public and private companies in a variety of different industries.
  • Franchising experience, including assisting a national franchisor in the review, preparation, negotiation and enforcement of franchise agreements.

Additional Biography Info

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Professional Activities

Admitted to bar: 2002, North Carolina.
American Bar Association (Forum on Franchising, Business Law Section, Young Lawyers Division)
North Carolina Bar Association (Business Law Section, Young Lawyers Division)
Forsyth County Bar Association / 21st Judicial District (Young Lawyers Division)

Civic Activities

Winston-Salem Symphony Association, Incorporated: Board of Directors (2004-present); Executive Committee (2006-present); Co-Chair, Personnel & Governance Committee (2006-present)
Piedmont Opera, Inc.: Board of Directors (2003-2008; 2010-present); Executive Committee (2004-2008); Chair, Personnel and Legal Committee (2005-2008); Co-Chair, Marketing Committee (2004-2005)
The Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina Inc.: Board of Directors (2003-2005)

Education

B.A., 1999, Psychology & Politics, Wake Forest University (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with Honors in Psychology)
M.A., 2002, Psychology, Duke University
J.D., 2002, Duke University School of Law (cum laude; Managing Editor, Duke Law Journal)

Prior Legal Experience

Associate, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP (now Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP), Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2002-2007)