Practices & Industries

Education

  • Mount Holyoke College, BA, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1977
  • Duke University, Law School, JD, 1985

Bar & Court Admissions

  • North Carolina Bar Association, Section: Business Law
  • North Carolina State Bar
  • Ohio State Bar, 1986-2007
  • New York Bar, 1994-2006
  • Illinois State Bar, 1999-2006

Biography

With more than 25 years of experience, Fran Durden is a partner at Roberts & Stevens who brings a strong business perspective to her legal practice.

A graduate of Duke University Law School and a native of Durham, North Carolina, Fran has enjoyed numerous addresses beyond North Carolina. Professionally, she has also practiced in Ohio and been in-house general counsel and a member of senior management in public companies located in New York and Illinois.

Fran works with a diverse range of companies from contract review and drafting for manufacturing companies to loan transactions for renewable energy companies. She also assists with the organization of non-profits and advises them on how to obtain tax exempt status.

As an area of expertise, she has represented many buyers and sellers of restaurants and bed & breakfasts/inns. Fran recently presented a seminar for Bed & Breakfast owners who are interested in selling their properties and the business implications that go along with that transaction.

Fran is an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association, Business Law Section and Women Lawyers in Asheville. In 2010, she contributed to the "Comparative Study of Corporate and LLC Laws of North Carolina and Delaware" published by the Business Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Experience

Formation of corporations and limited liability companies; preparation of shareholders or operating agreements among the owners of businesses to protect them in the event one of the owners becomes disabled, gets divorced or dies.    

Preparation and review of contracts, including supply agreements, leases, employment contracts, licensing agreements.

Transactional representation in purchase and sale of businesses and related financing matters.

Non-profit corporate law including applying for tax-exempt status.

Professional

Because Your Business Matters Blog

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, Small Business Center/Incubator, Volunteer Attorney, 2009 – 2011

Presented Bed and Breakfast Owners Seminar, "Ten Things to Consider When Selling Your Bed & Breakfast," February 2011.

Community Service

MANNA Food Bank, Board of Directors and Member of Audit Committee, 2008-present; Member of Finance Committee 2008-2011.  

Guardian Ad Litem and Foster Parent, 2005-2009

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce - We’re For Business Awards Committee 2011