Kenneth Hamner
Attorney at Law
Florida
FL, Supreme Court of the United States, United States Tax Court, United States District Court Middle District of Florida, United States District Court Southern District of Florida, US Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, US Court of International Trade
About
Ken serves the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business and Center for Entrepreneurship as an Adjunct Professor, where he teaches graduate courses in Business Plan Development, Mergers and Acquisitions and Intellectual property. These courses are offered to both masters and doctoral students in a wide variety of programs in entrepreneurship, business, engineering, global sustainability, and medicine. As a faculty member, he also helps plan and judge business plan competitions and serves as a guest lecturer in other courses in Venture capital and Private Equity and Exit planning.
Ken also serves as a partner and in a General Counsel capacity for several ventures, including NEST Ventures, LLC, a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on technology and life science ventures, International Entrepreneurship Innovation Institute, LLC, a firm developing innovative virtual entrepreneurship education programs and publishing related education books and articles, and Fountain Technologies International, LLC, a firm that develops and licenses nanotechnology patents.
Previously, Ken was the Managing Partner and Director of Corporate, International & Tax Services for a law firm with partners in Orlando and West Palm Beach, Florida. Ken has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for three international companies, where he structured equity and debt financing, and international transactions with suppliers, customers, and distributors. Ken began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co., where he served as an Audit Senior in the audit and advisory services practice. He subsequently served as a Senior Consultant in Ernst & Young’s real estate and financial services consulting practice.
Academically, Ken holds a Juris Doctor and MBA from Florida State University, a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship in Applied Technologies from the University of South Florida, a Master of Accounting in Forensic Accounting from Florida Atlantic University, and both a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from George Mason University. While studying in Beijing, China at the China University of Political Science and Law he earned a Certificate in Chinese Law. Additionally, while studying at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, he earned a Certificate in Dispute Resolution and a Certificate in Mediation. He has also studied foreign investment law at the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Ken has also earned several academic and professional certificates, including from the London School of Economics and Political Science in its certificate in Ethics in Artificial Intelligence, certificates in Online Instruction, Post-Crisis Leadership and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace at the University of South Florida, the University of Oxford in its Artificial Intelligence Programme and the Oxford Venture Finance Programme, the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Lab’s Artificial Implications for Business Strategy certificate program, the MIT Sloan School of Management Entrepreneurship Development Program, and MIT’s Certificate in Digital From AI and IoT to Cloud, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. He has also studied and completed professional executive education programs at the University of Chicago focused on exit planning and at Loyola University Chicago in mergers and acquisitions.
Ken is licensed to practice law as a Member of the Bar of the Court and Officer of the Court of the Supreme Court of the United States, a Member of the United States District Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Courts in both the Middle District and Southern District of Florida, the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of International Trade, and as a Member of the Florida Bar. He is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor, a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics, a Certified Fraud Examiner, a Certified Business Intermediary, and is licensed as a Real Estate Broker in Florida.
In 2001, Ken was the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Florida State University Business Review, an academic journal focusing on business and legal issues. The FSU Business Review is published by the Florida State University College of Law and has been successful for more than twenty years.
experience
Representative Clients
Practice Areas
Client Reviews
"About three years ago I was reassigned to a new role that required an expertise in financial matters. When you are handling money that is to be dispersed to several other organizations, there is no room for errors. Ken Hamner was my organizations legal and financial consultant. From the first day of my assignment, Ken was either in my office or available over the phone to provide guidance and assistance. Nearly three years later, Ken continues to be available for any need. I will continue to recommend Ken to anyone who needs legal or financial assistance."
"Have you ever had your attorney repeatedly answer your phone call at 7 a.m.? I have. I engaged Mr. Hamner to be our company's corporate attorney four years ago. During that time, he resolved several litigation issues to our satisfaction. His background in accounting and entrepreneurialism made him an asset in our success. He guided us through numerous difficult decisions and educated us on best business practices."
"A true expert in the field of law. My team and I have had the pleasure of working with ken on several occasions. He has always exceeded our expectation, and he has added tremendous value to our engagements. I would highly recommend him."
"Ken has helped me with structuring my business and many other entrepreneurial related questions. The fact that he has also a background in a accounting, C suit level corporate experience and he has been an entrepreneur himself, makes Ken stand out from other lawyers. An expert in entrepreneurship."
"Conscientious, Thorough, Knowledgable, Unrelenting! I have worked with Ken on a variety of entrepreneurial business concerns including entrepreneurial finance, contracting, payment disputes, and even real estate contracts. I trust him as a lawyer and business confidant for current issues as well as development of future plans. I consider his advice to be indispensable and have so far been unable to challenge him beyond his abilities, very broad experience, or certainly his education. I consider him to be a critical part of my team. He has my highest recommendation."
"Professionalism and Preeminence! When building a team leaders should surround themselves with others whose knowledge, skills, and abilities complement those of the team and elevate the team's effectiveness in accomplishing its goals. Our success has been a direct reflection of Ken's professionalism and skill while his vast experience has enabled us to foresee and prevent problems. Ken is the genuine article, do not hesitate to hire him."
Work History
University of South Florida
Adjunct Professor
Jan 2015 - Present
Serve on the faculty of the University of South Florida's Center for Entrepreneurship, ranked continuously in the top 15 graduate entrepreneurship program in the United States (Princeton Review). Teach graduate courses in Business Plan Development, Intellectual Property, and Mergers & Acquisitions to students in the entrepreneurship, MBA, engineering, global sustainability and medical programs.
Encompass Advisory Group
Managing Member
Aug 2012 - Present
Founded and direct all operations for a middle market mergers and acquisitions and main street business brokerage firm. Services include capital raises, due diligence, forensic accounting and fraud investigation, and real estate brokerage services.
The Entrepreneur Law Center, PL
Managing Member
Nov 2008 - Present
Founded and direct a boutique law firm focused on entrepreneurs, small business, and growth companies in business planning, contracts, litigation, employment law, mergers and acquisitions, exit planning, and licensing intellectual property. The firm also provides services related to angel investors, venture capital, and private equity. The firm has served many international clients.
Dorough, Calzada & Hamner, PL
Managing Partner, Director of Corporate, International & Tax Services
Sep 2004 - Nov 2008
Managed a law firm with partners in Orlando and West Palm Beach, Florida, including overseeing all firm-wide operations. Directed the corporate, international, and tax services of the firm, including business clients, transactions, contracts, international business, and mergers and acquisitions.
SteelSource LLC
CFO and General Counsel
Feb 2004 - Mar 2007
Directed all legal and financial functions of a start-up steel trading firm with an international customer and supplier base. Oversaw the growth of the company from its inception to a stable annual revenue base of more than $5M and trading margins of more than double the industry average. Sold my interest in the company in 2007.
Metalcor, Inc.
Chief Financial Officer
Nov 2002 - Apr 2004
Directed the financial affairs for a steel trading firm as part of a turnaround since the firm was in default of a significant amount of debt to suppliers due to the bankruptcy of a major customer. Restructuring a significant portion of debt with suppliers and structured the infusion of equity capital.
Caribbean Pacific International, Inc.
CFO & Senior Vice President
Jul 1996 - May 1999
Directed all financial affairs for an early stage enterprise that developed an all-natural line of skincare and sunscreen products. Raised over $2 million from private investors, which fueled a tenfold increase in revenue and expanded company operations from Florida to California, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean. The majority of the company was purchased by a public company in 1999.
Ernst & Young
Senior Consultant
Jan 1995 - Mar 1996
Provided a variety of valuation and due diligence services to financial institutions, real estate developers, and government agencies. Served as the lead senior on a variety of consulting projects, including for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to estimate the market rent of public housing in 50 metropolitan areas.
World Mortgage Co.
Appraiser
Sep 1993 - Oct 1994
Performed appraisals of single family and multifamily residential real estate.
Arthur Andersen & Co.
Audit Senior
Aug 1990 - May 1993
Supervised and performed audits and consulting projects in a variety of industries, including financial services, real estate, and hospitality.