Anna S. Mills

Anna S. Mills is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and Tennessee, and focuses her practice in general business and corporate law. Anna earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She returned to Western North Carolina in 2001 bringing with her experience and knowledge from the real estate department of a publicly-traded company and a large corporate law firm. 

Anna’s attention to detail and thorough knowledge of the intricacies involved with commercial transactions makes her an ideal legal counsel for large and mid-size companies in regional business ventures. In addition, her business law expertise enables her to assist start-ups and small businesses.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

General Business

With a strong concentration in business and corporate law, Anna assists companies and owners starting and operating businesses. She is able to counsel entrepreneurs starting a corporation or limited liability corporation (LLC) and can assist companies with contracts and other commercial & business law matters.

Business Sales and Purchases

Anna is able to guide sellers or buyers through the legal issues inherent in selling or buying a business and has served as North Carolina counsel in multi-state acquisitions. Past representations have included:

• The transfer of all company-owned stores for a national company
• Multiple acquisitions by a national company of businesses with a total value in excess of $90 million
• The sale of a corporate division of a regulated company
• Purchases and sales of small and mid-sized businesses

Business Loans and Securities Offerings

Anna counsels companies, lenders, and investors during the capital raising process. She has served as North Carolina counsel in multi-state lending transactions and counsels companies considering private placements. Sample representations have included:

• Counsel to a Company receiving an $18 million credit facility
• NC counsel for a company receiving a $98 million credit facility
• NC counsel for a foreign bank issuing a €119 million credit facility
• NC counsel for a Canadian Company receiving a $7 million CAD credit facility
• Counsel to banks issuing commercial loans

PRESENTATIONS, PUBLICATIONS & EVENTS

"Contracts in an Agricultural Business," Sidewalk Session Facilitator, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Projects 2012 Business of Farming Conference, Swannanoa, NC, February 25, 2012

“Understanding Third Party Legal Opinions,” Speaker, CLE Webinar, ABA, December 2011

“Using Contracts in Your Art-Based Business,” Speaker, Illuminated Artistry: A Workshop for Artists and Artisans Where Creativity and the Law Intersect, Asheville, NC, August 2011

“Ask a Lawyer,” Participant in clinic sponsored by NC LEAP and Wake Tech, Cary, NC, August 2011

“10 Tips for Starting a Business,” Speaker, A-B Tech Young Entrepreneurs Camp, July 2010

“Statement on Professionalism for North Carolina Business Lawyers,” Co-Author, NC Bar Association, Business Section, 2009

“Entity Formation,” Speaker, NC Leap Class, September 2009

“Due Diligence,” Speaker, Basics of Business Law, CLE Program, NC Bar Association Foundation, May 2008

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Anna is a member of the American Bar Association and its Business Section. She currently serves as Director of Membership on the Legal Opinions Committee and is a Subcommittee Member on the Survey of Legal Opinion Office Practices. 

Anna is also a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and has served in a variety of capacities including as a Nominations Committee Member from 2008 to 2010. Her work as a Business Section Member of the NCBA has included serving on the Legal Opinions Committee from 2010 to the present, as Ethics Co-Chair from 2007 to 2009, and as a Business Section Council Member from 2004 to 2007. 

Favorite Food:
Smoothies

Currently Reading: 
Why Beauty is Truth: A History of Symmetry by Ian Stewart

Favorite Artists:
Jan Van Eyck, Alex Katz, Francesco Clemente, Cy Twombly, Rebecca Snoderly, Kora Manheimer

Most Recently Viewed Art Exhibits:
"Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters," High Museum of Art, Atlanta

Guilty Pleasures:
Reading The Wall Street Journal, watching UNC basketball and SEC football

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT   

Anna is the past Chair of NC LEAP (North Carolina Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Program) a program that supports North Carolina entrepreneurs. She has also served on the Asheville Art Museum Board of Trustees since 2006.  Active in her community, she also serves on several local and regional boards and committees which place an emphasis on health and education issues.