By: Olivia Bane
Michael Grace Jr. will moderate the Athletes as Employees: Analyzing the Business Implications of the “Pay-for-Play” Model panel at the Wake Forest Journal of Business & Intellectual Property Law’s Spring 2020 symposium. Michael’s practice focuses on business and finance, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. He is a first-year associate in Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton’s Winston-Salem office. Prior to joining Kilpatrick Townsend, Michael spent several years as legal counsel at the Supreme Court of North Carolina, where he provided legal support to the Honorable Chief Justice Mark Martin in his role as head of the North Carolina Judicial Branch. Previously, Mr. Grace served as a Judicial Law Clerk for Chief Justice Martin.
Michael earned his J.D. at Wake Forest University School of Law in 2016. During his time at Wake Law, Michael participated in the Innocence and Justice Clinic. Michael also took advantage of the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua to work with micro-enterprises and NGOs with the Micro-Trade and Development Clinic. During the summer after his 2L year, Michael worked as a legal intern for a multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, markets, and sells, footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories. Prior to law school, Michael received his B.A. in Political Science from Yale University.
In 2020, Michael was nominated as a “40 Under 40 Most Influential African American in the Triad” by the Triad’s Black Business Ink magazine. Michael serves as a board member on Winston Under 40, Forsyth Futures, and Wake Forest Face to Face Speaker’s Forum.
Michael Grace Jr. will join the Wake Forest Journal of Business & Intellectual Property Law for our annual Spring Symposium on February 28, 2020. Michael will be moderating the discussion from 10:25 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. with feature speakers Jason Setchen of Athlete Defender and Michael Willemin of Wigdor LLP.