Benji Jones

Editor’s note: Benji Jones is a partner with the Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P. firm in Raleigh. She supported the N.C. crowdfunding legislation known as the NC PACES Act which was signed into law in August. RALEIGH, N.C. – On October 26, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) took steps to “update and modernize how companies can raise money from investors through intrastate and small offerings.” These changes should make it easier for more companies to use NC PACES to raise capital. In addition to various technical updates, here is the gist of what the...

Editor’s note: As WRAL TechWire reported earlier this week, Senate sponsors of crowdfunding legislation reintroduced it as a separate bill after a larger economic development bill in which it is included had failed to make much progress in the N.C. General Assembly. The separate bill cleared a hurdle Wednesday as Benji Jones of the Smith Anderson law firm reports. RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC Senate Finance Committee considered SB481, the NC PACES Act: “Providing Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs and Small Business” and passed it by unanimous voice vote on Wednesday. The bill now moves on to a full...

Editor’s note: As a new session of the North Carolina General Assembly opens, supporters of crowdfunding legislation in the state are hoping a bill will win passage. In the first of two blog posts, Benji Jones of the Smith Anderson law firm notes that crowdfunding is a hot investment area. But there are issues that need to be explored. RALEIGH, N.C. – Crowdfunding is hot. According to a report released by Massolution, the crowdfunding industry raised $16.2 billion worldwide in 2014, and that amount was expected to double during 2015. But what does it mean?  How does it work? ...