Robinson Bradshaw’s downtown office is an example of a high-end Charlotte law firm. Host to 140 attorneys, it is a full-service corporate firm with more than 25 specialties. They range from corporate transactions to litigation to life sciences and biotechnology – and motorsports.
The motorsports group of 12 lawyers represents a mixed client base. Race car teams, individual drivers, agents, team members, with a toe-dipping in the now defunct American Formula One team. The motorsports group represents drivers in different disciplines of motorsports, and handles mergers and acquisitions as well as licensing, employment contracts and the formation of foundations in the industry.
Seven years ago, a group of fewer than 10 attorneys started to discuss aspects of the law pertaining to motorsports. According to Robinson Bradshaw’s Stoke Caldwell, that group – which became The Racing Attorney Conference – now hosts an annual event with more than 130 attendees. TRAC’s event is a collaboration among attorneys from North Carolina, Indiana (the only other state that has a motorsports association like the NCMA), the North Carolina Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association. These annual conferences cover topics of interest to both groups of lawyers as well as students, chief financial officers of companies involved in motorsports, and certified public accountants.
The meeting alternates years in Charlotte and Indianapolis. A committee chooses topics based on input from members and submits those to either state’s bar association for approval to meet continuing legal education standards. Attorneys must have 12 credit hours a year – the TRAC meeting provides 10 – with two covering ethics.
Thanks to Stoke Caldwell and Matt Efird for their hospitality. Rather than list some of the firms’ motorsports clients, take a peek here.
Corinne Economaki