35^th Annual

LLCs, LPs and Partnerships

Austin Jul 16-17, 2026 AT&T Conference Center $695 Individual | $795 after Jun 30 $625 Group rate per person (5 registrants minimum) | $715 after Jun 30 $555 Group rate per person (10 registrants minimum) | $635 after Jun 30

Live Webcast Jul 16-17, 2026 $895 Individual $805 Group rate per person (5 registrants minimum) $715 Group rate per person (10 registrants minimum) $100 Add-on rate for in-person registrants

Overview

Join us for the 35th Annual LLCs, LPs and Partnerships Conference, a must-attend event for legal and business professionals working with unincorporated entities. Held July 16-17, 2026, this two-day program will explore the latest developments in LLCs, LPs, and partnerships with distinguished faculty of leading practitioners and academics. Attendees will gain access to tangible resources and best practices for drafting and negotiating key clauses and provisions while also analyzing complex issues faced by today’s practitioners.

This comprehensive program covers recent case law developments, evolving regulatory frameworks, and practical drafting strategies for LLC and partnership agreements. At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

Identify and analyze recent case law developments affecting LLCs, LPs, and partnerships, including fiduciary duties and veil-piercing considerations.
Assess federal, state, and local tax considerations relevant to pass-through entities and apply strategies to minimize tax exposure.
Analyze capital contribution issues, including contributions of real property, and determine appropriate structuring approaches.
Assess estate planning and family business considerations in the context of LLCs and partnerships.
Apply best practices for drafting and negotiating LLC and partnership agreements, including non-compete provisions and compensatory arrangements.

Join us this year in Austin, Texas for two days of unparalleled learning and networking.

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

Day 1 July 16, 2026
Day 2 July 17, 2026

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Thursday Morning, July 16, 2026
Presiding Officer:
K. "Andy" Tiwari, CJMA Business Law and Litigation - San Antonio, TX
7:45 am
Austin Only

Registration Opens

Includes continental breakfast.
8:20 am

Welcoming Remarks
8:30 am

1.00 hr

Case Law Update

A survey of recent Texas cases addressing significant issues (fiduciary duties, piercing the entity veil, and more) in the context of LLCs and partnerships (including limited partnerships and LLPs).

Elizabeth S. Miller, Baylor Law School - Waco, TX
Douglas K. Moll, University of Houston Law Center - Houston, TX

Elizabeth S. Miller, Baylor Law School - Waco, TX
Douglas K. Moll, University of Houston Law Center - Houston, TX
9:30 am

0.75 hr

A Texas Business Court Update: The Court at (Almost) Two Years of Age

(Almost) two years in, how goes the Court?

Hon. Grant Dorfman, Texas Business Court, Eleventh Division - Houston, TX

Hon. Grant Dorfman, Texas Business Court, Eleventh Division - Houston, TX
10:15 am

15-Minute Break
10:30 am

0.75 hr
0.25 hr ethics

Drafting LLC Agreements Part 1: Formation, Governance, Transfers, and Other Non-Tax Matters

Review of key common provisions in company agreements for LLCs, including tips regarding formation, decision-making and other governance matters, transfers of interests, and winding up

John C. Ale, Attorney and Arbitrator (Retired) - Houston, TX
Cecil (Tres) Bain III, Kreager Mitchell PLLC - Boerne, TX

John C. Ale, Attorney and Arbitrator (Retired) - Houston, TX
Cecil (Tres) Bain III, Kreager Mitchell PLLC - Boerne, TX
11:15 am

0.75 hr
0.25 hr ethics

Drafting LLC Agreements Part 2: Tax Matters (Federal, State & Local)

A focused look at the tax provisions that distinguish LLC agreements from other entity documents, including allocations of income and loss, capital account maintenance under Section 704(b), tax distributions, and the partnership audit rules.

Brady J. Cox, Jackson Walker LLP - Dallas, TX
Bill Wilson, Whitley Penn, LLP - Plano, TX

Brady J. Cox, Jackson Walker LLP - Dallas, TX
Bill Wilson, Whitley Penn, LLP - Plano, TX
12:00 pm

0.75 hr

Asset Protection

When the lawsuit comes — and it will — is your client’s structure ready? This session delivers a practitioner’s deep dive into using LLCs and related entities as powerful asset protection tools, with the latest Texas case law, statutory updates, and the mistakes that sink even the best-laid plans.

Joseph Michael Dickerson, The JM Dickerson Law Firm - New Braunfels, TX

Joseph Michael Dickerson, The JM Dickerson Law Firm - New Braunfels, TX
12:45 pm
Austin Only

Pick Up Lunch
Thursday Afternoon, July 16, 2026
Presiding Officer:
Cliff Ernst, McGinnis Lochridge - Austin, TX
LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
1:05 pm

1.00 hr ethics

Using Generative AI Technology In Practice

A review of newer developments in generative AI and how these might be relevant to legal practice. This session not only surveys recent advances in generative AI functionality outside the chatbot model, but also identifies and discusses mitigation of related security and privacy risks.

Andrew M. Edge, McGinnis Lochridge - Austin, TX

Andrew M. Edge, McGinnis Lochridge - Austin, TX
2:05 pm

15-Minute Break
2:20 pm

0.75 hr

Update on Compensatory Payments in Pass-Through Entities

This panel examines and contrasts the employment and self-employment tax treatment of owners in limited partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations. It highlights the Tax Court’s Soroban decision and the Fifth Circuit’s Sirius case, which address self-employment tax for limited partners and LLC members. The panel also explores issues of reasonable compensation in S corporation employment tax rulings.

Dan G. Baucum, FBFK Law - Plano, TX
Robert R. Keatinge, Holland & Hart LLP - Denver, CO

Dan G. Baucum, FBFK Law - Plano, TX
Robert R. Keatinge, Holland & Hart LLP - Denver, CO
3:05 pm

15-Minute Break
3:20 pm

0.75 hr

The Cost of Control: Transfer Tax Planning, Valuation Discounts, and the §2043(a) Double-Inclusion Trap

LLCs, LPs, and partnerships are among the most versatile and powerful tools in family business and estate planning, providing asset protection, consolidated management, simplified wealth transfer, and meaningful tax advantages across generations. This session opens with a practical overview of how these entities function in the estate planning arena and the key benefits they offer family-owned businesses, giving business lawyers and general practitioners a working framework for spotting planning opportunities and knowing when to bring in estate planning counsel. From that foundation, the session examines the benefits and hazards of entity-based transfer tax planning in depth, with particular focus on §2036 retained interest inclusion and the newly prominent, court-raised §2043(a) double-inclusion problem that recalibrates the math when the IRS wins.

Gene Wolf, Kemp Smith LLP - El Paso, TX

Gene Wolf, Kemp Smith LLP - El Paso, TX
4:05 pm

1.00 hr ethics

Access to Justice

State Bar of Texas Immediate Past President, Santos Vargas, will speak about access to justice and his “Stand With Santos” campaign and share highlights of his presidency of the State Bar.

Santos Vargas, Immediate Past President State Bar of Texas - San Antonio, TX

Santos Vargas, Immediate Past President State Bar of Texas - San Antonio, TX
5:05 pm
Austin Only

Adjourn Networking Reception (5:05 p.m. to 6:05 p.m.)

Enjoy refreshments and a networking opportunity with colleagues, conference faculty, and planning committee members.

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Friday Morning, July 17, 2026
Presiding Officer:
Robert R. Keatinge, Holland & Hart LLP - Denver, CO
8:00 am
Austin Only

Conference Room Opens

Includes continental breakfast.
8:30 am

0.75 hr

Texas Secretary of State Update

Learn about filing tips and resources that can make your transactions with the Texas Secretary of State (SOS) easier and more predictable; hear updates on the agency’s ongoing system modernization program, including an overview of online services both available now as well as a preview of the business entity filings component under development in SOSPortal.

David R. Eskew, Texas Secretary of State - Austin, TX

David R. Eskew, Texas Secretary of State - Austin, TX
9:15 am

0.75 hr

Issues in Connection with a Capital Contribution of Real Property

This session addresses the complex legal and tax implications that arise when real estate is contributed to a partnership or LLC. The session highlights aspects of due diligence and the allocation of risk and responsibilities in connection with the contribution, as well as issues relating to a possible failure of consideration.

Frank Z. Ruttenberg, University of Texas System - San Antonio, TX

Frank Z. Ruttenberg, University of Texas System - San Antonio, TX
10:00 am

15-Minute Break
10:15 am

0.75 hr

Primexx Energy: the Texas Business Court Looks at Fiduciary Duties, Good Faith, and the Limited Partnership Agreement

In Primexx Energy Opportunity Fund v. Primexx Energy Corporation the Texas Business Court discussed the duties of loyalty, care, and to act in good faith of controlling partners and the extent to which such duties could be modified in the partnership agreement. This panel discusses the take aways from Primexx Energy, what it means for those organizing or interpreting limited partnership agreement.

Christine Hurt, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law - Dallas, TX
Robert R. Keatinge, Holland & Hart LLP - Denver, CO

Christine Hurt, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law - Dallas, TX
Robert R. Keatinge, Holland & Hart LLP - Denver, CO
11:00 am

0.75 hr

Restrictive Covenants in Partnership Agreements

This presentation covers unique issues pertaining to restrictive covenants, particularly noncompetes, in the context of partnership agreements. Key topics include: enforceability standards, forfeiture clauses, and the differences from and interplay with employment-based restrictive covenants. We also discuss key case law and recent litigation examples to help frame the key topics in a practical sense.

Taylor E. White, Winstead PC - Dallas, TX

Taylor E. White, Winstead PC - Dallas, TX
11:45 am

1.00 hr ethics

What you need to know about Ethics in 2026, AI, and Protecting You from You!

Law school ethics courses taught us to basically just do the right thing and assured us that we would be alright—but that doesn’t work anymore. Times have changed, AI is raging through our practices, and ethics rules have changed more in the last decade than in the three previous decades combined! It’s a new day and time for an update!

Gaines West, West Webb Allbritton & Gentry P.C. - College Station and Austin, TX

Gaines West, West Webb Allbritton & Gentry P.C. - College Station and Austin, TX
12:45 pm

Adjourn

Day 1 July 16, 2026
Day 2 July 17, 2026

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

John C. Ale

Attorney and Arbitrator (Retired)
Houston, TX

Cecil (Tres) Bain III

Kreager Mitchell PLLC
Boerne, TX

Dan G. Baucum

FBFK Law
Plano, TX

Brady J. Cox

Jackson Walker LLP
Dallas, TX

Joseph Michael Dickerson

The JM Dickerson Law Firm
New Braunfels, TX

Hon. Grant Dorfman

Texas Business Court, Eleventh Division
Houston, TX

Andrew M. Edge

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

David R. Eskew

Texas Secretary of State
Austin, TX

Christine Hurt

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Dallas, TX

Robert R. Keatinge

Holland & Hart LLP
Denver, CO

Elizabeth S. Miller

Baylor Law School
Waco, TX

Douglas K. Moll

University of Houston Law Center
Houston, TX

Frank Z. Ruttenberg

University of Texas System
San Antonio, TX

Santos Vargas

Immediate Past President State Bar of Texas
San Antonio, TX

Gaines West

West Webb Allbritton & Gentry P.C.
College Station and Austin, TX

Taylor E. White

Winstead PC
Dallas, TX

Bill Wilson

Whitley Penn, LLP
Plano, TX

Gene Wolf

Kemp Smith LLP
El Paso, TX

Planning Committee

Cliff Ernst—Co-Chair

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

K. "Andy" Tiwari—Co-Chair

CJMA Business Law and Litigation
San Antonio, TX

John C. Ale

Attorney and Arbitrator (Retired)
Houston, TX

Skyla R. Banks

Amplitude, Inc.
Dallas, TX

Dan G. Baucum

FBFK Law
Plano, TX

Brady J. Cox

Jackson Walker LLP
Dallas, TX

David R. Eskew

Texas Secretary of State
Austin, TX

Trenton Hood

Winstead PC
Dallas, TX

Christine Hurt

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Dallas, TX

Robert R. Keatinge

Holland & Hart LLP
Denver, CO

Elizabeth S. Miller

Baylor Law School
Waco, TX

Baili B. Rhodes

West, Webb, Allbriton & Gentry, P.C.
College Station, TX

April Stephens Rogers

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Frank Z. Ruttenberg

University of Texas System
San Antonio, TX

MCLE Credit

Texas – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics
Legal Specialization(s): Civil Appellate Law, Consumer Law, Civil Trial Law, Tax Law

You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided in Your Briefcase for your records. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number provided on your certificate of attendance.

California – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

Oklahoma – Expected – 13.50 hrs | 4.00 hrs Ethics

You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, then you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.

Pennsylvania – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

UT Law CLE is an approved provider of Pennsylvania credit, sponsor #236. You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. Attorney attendance will be reported to Pennsylvania within 2 weeks after credit is claimed . Attorneys are not able to report this credit on their own, and UT Law CLE pays all associated fees for the credit hours. Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

Other States – Expected – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State

If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.

You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records and to provided to other licensing authorities as needed.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Other Credit

National Accounting CPE – 13.80 hrs

TX Accounting CPE – 13.80 hrs

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you are welcome to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk, but we are now reporting all credit online. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion in Your Briefcase. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

MCLE Credit

Texas – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics
Legal Specialization(s): Civil Appellate Law, Consumer Law, Civil Trial Law, Tax Law

You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number provided on your certificate of attendance.

California – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

To claim California MCLE credit, California credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.
You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Oklahoma – Expected – 13.50 hrs | 4.00 hrs Ethics

To claim Oklahoma MCLE credit, Oklahoma credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #169) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association for MCLE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the webcast.

Pennsylvania – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

To claim Pennsylvania MCLE credit, Pennsylvania credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

UT Law CLE is an approved provider of Pennsylvania credit, sponsor #236. Attorney attendance will be reported to Pennsylvania within 2 weeks after credit is claimed and submitted. Attorneys are not able to report this credit on their own, and UT Law CLE pays all associated fees for the credit hours. Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Other States – Expected – 11.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State

To claim Other States MCLE credit, Other States credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records and to provide to other licensing authorities as needed.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Other Credit

National Accounting CPE – 13.80 hrs

The University of Texas School of Law is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

Delivery Method: Group-Internet Based

To comply with NASBA Standards, attendees claiming CPE credit must select National Accounting CPE in the "Choose Your Credit" pop-up window that appears when you sign into the webcast. Once you have selected this option you will receive random verification pop-ups through out the webcast that you must acknowledge. Your acknowledgment of the pop-ups will inform how much credit you are able to claim at the end of the program. Electronic attendance sign-in sheets will be shared in the webcast chat throughout the program. You will need your CPA license number to sign in. You will also need to make sure you that you complete the sign-in documents as they are shared. Once the program concludes you will need to claim your credit in the UT CLE system, using the orange "Claim Credit" button at the bottom of the webcast player page. Once this is completed you will be able to download your Certificate of Completion that you may use to report your credit to the appropriate state board of accountancy. Please contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions or concerns regarding verification pop-ups, sign-in sheets, or your certificate of attendance.

Reporting: CPAs are responsible for reporting CPE credits earned to their state's accountancy board, and must retain appropriate documentation of their participation in learning activities. Visit your state’s reporting website for more information or www.nasba.org.

TX Accounting CPE – 13.80 hrs

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. In compliance with the rules, UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

To claim Texas Accounting CPE credit, the Texas Accounting CPE credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. Self-report your CPE credit directly to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

Key Dates

Austin – Jul 16-17, 2026 – AT&T Conference Center

Live Webcast – Jul 16-17, 2026

Austin
Live Webcast

Individual
Last day for $695.00 Regular pricing: Jun 30, 2026
$795.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (5 registrants minimum)
Last day for $625.00 Regular pricing: Jun 30, 2026
$715.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (10 registrants minimum)
Last day for $555.00 Regular pricing: Jun 30, 2026
$635.00 for registrations received after this time

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Jul 10, 2026
$50 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Jul 13, 2026

Individual
$895.00

Group (5 registrants minimum)
$805.00

Group (10 registrants minimum)
$715.00

Add-on (in-person registration required)
$100.00

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Jul 10, 2026
$50 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Jul 13, 2026

Venue

AT&T Conference Center

The University of Texas at Austin
1900 University Avenue
Austin, TX
877.744.8822 (reservations)
Map

Accommodations

$179 room rate good through June 15, 2026 (subject to availability). Book by calling 877-744-8822 and asking for the 2026 Partnerships Conference room block rate, or book online.

Parking Information

Parking is available in the conference center's attached garage, as well as Rowling Hall Garage. Both garage entrances are located on W 20th St. Guests may self-park or use the hotel's valet services at the University Avenue entrance. Parking rates are subject to change without notice.

Self-parking fees:

Hourly Parking:
0-30 minutes, $3
31-60 minutes, $4
1– 2 hours, $6
2– 3 hours, $9
3– 4 hours, $12
4– 5 hours, $15
5– 8 hours, $18
8– 24 hours, $21
Lost ticket, $42

Valet Parking Rates:
Daily valet: $21
Overnight valet: $38

Additional Information

The conference will be hosted in the Guadalupe Classroom on level 4 of Rowling Hall.

If you are staying in the hotel, make sure to park in the AT&T Conference Center Garage. To get to Rowling from the hotel, cross the courtyard between the hotel and the Conference center, then the courtyard between the AT&T Conference Center and Rowling Hall, but turn towards the left and enter the elevator bay by the "What Starts Here" windows. Then take the elevators up to level 4.

If you are driving in for the day, please park in the Rowling Hall garage and take the elevators up to level 4.

LLCs, LPs and Partnerships

Overview

Event Schedule

Thursday Morning, July 16, 2026

Thursday Afternoon, July 16, 2026

Friday Morning, July 17, 2026

Conference Faculty

Planning Committee

Credit Info

MCLE Credit

Other Credit

MCLE Credit

Other Credit

Key Dates

Venue

AT&T Conference Center

Accommodations

Parking Information

Additional Information

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