Many equipment finance companies use e-signatures routinely in business transactions, but e-signing and e-leasing are not the same thing, and the differences may lead to legal issues in court. A panel of experts at the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) Legal Forum, on May 2 to be moderated by The Alta Group’s Paul Bent, will cover these differences and best practices when it comes to e-signatures, e-vaults and e-leasing.

The annual event to be held in Washington, D.C. May 1-3 begins with a legal update, then over the course of this three-day event discussion will delve into wide-ranging topics through break-out sessions, roundtables and some new interactive formats.

Bent, who heads Alta’s Legal Services and Business Assessment Practice, said that in the e-leasing panel he will pose challenging questions to his two fellow panelists—Dominic Liberatore, Deputy General counsel of DLL, and Robert Cohen, a partner in Moritt Hock & Hamroff, who are seasoned veterans in the field. The session, “Avoid e-Problems: How to Go Digital, Electronically Sign and Navigate Common Industry Mistakes,” could also be a primer for anyone new to e-leasing.

While legal topics may be perceived by non-legal executives as complex—even dry—some Legal Forum sessions will be introduced in a lively way. For example, there is a program titled, “Are You Smarter than a Law Student?” And there is even a game show session on the agenda, “Who Wants to Be a Leasing Lawyer?”

 Other topics include developments in the Uniform Commercial Code, cross-border transactions, state disclosure laws, emerging technology, ESG (environmental, social, governance) and DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion). Roundtables on motor vehicles as well as on aircraft, rail and marine assets enable a specific focus on key markets.

This event–the first one in person since the pandemic—will also include a new session titled, “It’s All Legal,” featuring a trivia competition.