PROGRAM SCHEDULE
7:30 AM
Registration and Breakfast Buffet
8:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
Katherine Sams
Chief Legal Counsel, North America, DeLaval Inc.
James Anderson
Assistant General Counsel, STRADA
8:15 AM
Leading with Resilience and Managing Stress
Are you constantly balancing increasing accountabilities, client demands, and attrition rates? Do the responses ‘burned-out’ and ‘overwhelmed’ sound too familiar? This panel discussion is designed to present an overview of key practice management standards/Rules of Professional Conduct from U.S. jurisdictions related to competence, practice management and wellness; and impart strategies for in-house lawyers to lead with resilience and manage workload in alignment with organizational priorities to allow for efficient delivery of legal services.
Following the panel discussion, attendees will break into groups for an interactive discussion around various legal practice management scenarios, leveraging the approaches featured during the panel and sharing approaches to challenging legal practice and management situations. This panel has been approved for Professional Responsibility (Mental Health and Substance Abuse) credit of 1 hour.
Panelists
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Elizabeth Leifel Ash
Senior Legal Counsel, CVS Health
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Jason St. John
Managing Partner, Saul Ewing LLP
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Stephanie Vitale
Director, Safety and Insurance Litigation, Uber
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Thank you to our sponsor
9:15 AM
BREAK
9:30 AM
An Ethical Hour with the Chapter Presidents
In-house counsel face new and evolving ethical challenges while representing their companies in rapidly changing business conditions. This program will focus on in-house counsel’s ethical responsibilities surrounding attorney-client privilege, safeguarding confidential information, potential witness tampering and conflicts. The program will include a review of relevant ABA model rules and other ABA and Illinois guidance and discuss scenarios. This panel has been approved for Professional Responsibility (Ethics) credit of 1 hour.
Panelists
Christine Binotti
Lead Counsel, Motorola Solutions, Inc.
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Amy Keenan
Senior Counsel – Marketing and Product, Camping World & Good Sam
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Helena Ledic
Associate General Counsel, CSC
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Katherine Sams
Chief Legal Counsel, North America, DeLaval Inc.
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Thank you to our sponsor
10:30 AM
BREAK
CONCURRENT PANELS - CHOOSE 1 OF 2
10:45 AM
Best Practices for the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)
Join us to learn about the latest on the Corporate Transparency Act. The session is designed to provide insights and practical strategies for adhering to the new regulatory requirements. We will cover essential aspects of the CTA, including beneficial ownership reporting, compliance deadlines, and enforcement mechanisms, as well as sharing best practices.
Panelists
Moderator & Speaker, Payal Keshvani
Partner, Taft Law
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Kim Copp
Partner, Taft Law
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Char Dalton
Chief Legal Officer & Chief of Staff, SEKO Logistics
Julie Sirlin Pleshivoy
Partner, Taft Law​​​
Thank you to our sponsor
Ten Lessons from Ten Famous Trials – from OJ to SBF
Society is fascinated by high-profile trials. For example, the infamous O.J. Simpson trial spawned no less than three TV movies and four documentaries. More recently, the Depp v. Heard, Elizabeth Holmes, and Sam Bankman-Fried trials all received extensive media coverage. Beyond entertainment, these trials offer critical lessons for in-house counsel on managing legal matters. This presentation highlights practical insights and pitfalls to avoid based on famous trials so that in-house counsel can better manage and supervise the matters that may or do go to trial.
Panelists
Mayra de Aguiar
Of Counsel, Willenken LLP
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Chantal Kazay Rivera
Senior Counsel–Commercial Litigation, McDonald’s Corporation​​​​
Thank you to our sponsor
11:45 AM
BUFFET LUNCH
CONCURRENT PANELS - CHOOSE 1 OF 2
12:30 PM
BIPA, GIPA, PLAWA and FTC Bans . . . Sorting Through the Alphabet Soup of Employment Laws
The mixture of recent employment legislation facing Illinois employers can be confusing to sort through. In this session, lawyers from Littler’s Chicago office will sift through these new developments and how they affect employers, as well as provide insight on the questions they raise and practical compliance strategies employers can take.
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Will the amendment to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) be retroactive? How will it change the litigation landscape and compliance issues going forward?
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How are courts addressing cases brought under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA)?
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The Illinois Department of Labor is wasting no time in enforcing the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) – what are your next steps if you receive a notice from the ILDOL?
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Will it or won’t it? The latest update on the FTC’s attempt to ban non-competes in the workplace.
Panelists
Orly Henry
Shareholder, Littler
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Meg Karnig
Associate, Littler
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Richard Kienzler
Shareholder, Littler
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Jeff Nowak
Shareholder, Littler
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In-House Counsel to be added
TBD
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Thank you to our sponsor
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Navigating the AI Frontier: Legislative Updates and Practical Guidance for In-House Counsel
This panel will explore the latest legislative updates and legal developments in artificial intelligence. We will delve into the creation and implementation of effective governance structures and internal procedures to manage AI initiatives, ensuring compliance and ethical practices. The discussion will also provide practical tips and strategies for in-house counsel to navigate the complex AI landscape, addressing common challenges and sharing best practices to mitigate risks and leverage opportunities.
Panelists
Donna Haddad
Vice President, Associate General Counsel, IBM
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Melissa Hirst
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Inspire11
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Cameron Robinson
Chair, Technology Transactions and Intellectual Property Practice, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
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Christo Siebrits
Senior Associate General Counsel and Head of AI, AbbVie
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Thank you to our sponsor
1:30 PM
BREAK
3:30 PM
BREAK
CONCURRENT PANELS - CHOOSE 1 OF 2
1:45 PM
Affirmative Recovery Programs 101: How Legal Departments are Leveraging Litigation Assets to Generate Revenue
Increasingly, legal departments are building affirmative recovery programs able to generate meaningful cash returns to the business. Legal finance can play a crucial role as legal departments build these programs and begin to pursue recoveries. This panel will delve into the innovative ways Fortune 500 companies think about pursuing affirmative claims and how they might use legal finance to their advantage to move legal costs off balance sheets and allow companies to focus on core business activities. We’ll also discuss how large companies are working with companies like Burford Capital to monetize their litigation assets and put capital to work well ahead of final resolution of their case.
Panelists
Terri Ahrens
Vice President and Associate General Counsel, US Foods
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Greg McPolin
Managing Director, Burford Capital
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Alyx Pattison
Senior Vice President, Burford Capital
Caroline L. Schiff
Assistant General Counsel – Litigation and Investigations, Humana Inc.​​​
Thank you to our sponsor
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Competition, Conflict and Commerce: The Global Political Environment and What It Means for Lawyers
Andrew Morris, Attorney and Principal of Blue Owl Capital, will speak with geopolitical advisor and commentator, David Chmiel, on the current global political environment and its impact on business. Eversheds partners will be contributing to the discussion from a law firm perspective. Topics of discussion will include:
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An overview of key global political flashpoints including current conflicts, global elections in 2024 and emerging strategic competition between nations, particularly the US and China.
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Consideration of the ways in which these geopolitical conditions are directly impacting international trade and commerce through mechanisms such as foreign investment review, export controls, sanctions, industrial strategies, ESG metrics and related measures.
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Discussing practical ways in which in-house counsel can assess the impact of these risks on their business and advise their executives and boards on ways to monitor and mitigate these risks and challenges.
Panelists
David Chmiel
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Global Torchlight
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Simon Harris
Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
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Andrew Morris
Principal, Legal and Compliance, Blue Owl Capital
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Ruth Schoenmeyer
Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
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Thank you to our sponsor
2:45 PM
BIG SNACK BREAK
CONCURRENT PANELS - CHOOSE 1 OF 2
3:15 PM
The Whole Picture – M&A Due Diligence in an AI World
Explore how a potential target’s data, proprietary technology (including contemplated future technology), and third-party technology-related relationships are now crucial factors in almost every corporate transaction. Our panel will delve into considerations regarding data and artificial intelligence in connection with corporate transactions (both from a buy-side and a sell-side perspective). Key takeaways for this session will include:
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Scope of diligence and specific areas of concern (e.g., intellectual property, privacy, and data security) and which industries require special considerations
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New norms for transaction documents
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Current IP and IT transactions trends
Panelists
Joseph Adams
Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
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Mary Katherine Kulback
Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
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Christopher McVety
Vice President & General Counsel, M&A, Ingredion
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Eric Shinabarger
Associate, Winston & Strawn LLP
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Thank you to our sponsor
Dealing with Controversial Commentary? Some Guidance and Guardrails for Employers
The Israel-Hamas war. Antisemitism and Islamophobia. Ukraine vs. Russia. Black Lives Matter. #MeToo. Politicians and Presidents. Culture Wars. Difficult issues and painful news stories that spur debate and heated discourse seem relentless. Now, with wars raging and campaigns in high gear, the potential for harmful words and strong feelings to be amplified is greater than ever. When significant news arises, employers often wonder how—and IF—they should respond. Likewise, when an employee commits actions or expresses opinions that are at odds with the employer’s interests, values, or policies, it may be appropriate for the employer to intervene. Certainly, corrective action is warranted when an employer is made aware of behavior that is hostile, threatening, or discriminatory to other employees. When facing such situations, employers must respond in a manner that is legally sound, consistent with their own policies (considering past practices), and appropriate based on the specific circumstances.
This panel will offer practical guidance as to how employers can navigate their way through today’s minefield of controversial commentary.
Panelists
Brandon DeBerry
Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Camping World & Good Sam
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Susan Gross Sholinksy
Shareholder, Epstein Becker Green
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Peter Steinmeyer
Shareholder, Epstein Becker Green
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Thank you to our sponsor
4:15 PM
BREAK
4:30 PM
Best Practices of General Counsel
Hear from General Counsel on a variety of important topics that will impact your practice and career.
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How to become a general counsel
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Serving as a business advisor to your client
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Managing a global legal team
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How to do more with less
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Crisis management – practical tips
Panelists
Moderator, Veronica Gromada
Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon
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Jenelle Carter Anderson
General Counsel, The Heico Companies
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Chris Dekker
EVP, GC, Secretary & CCO, Brunswick
David Hitchens
General Counsel, Americas, Jones Lang LaSalle ​​​
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Matt Revord
Chief Legal Officer, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
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Angela Steele
U.S. General Counsel, McDonald’s Corporation
Thank you to our sponsor
5:30 PM
NETWORKING
COCKTAILS
HORS D’OEUVRES
Thank you to our sponsor
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GENERAL INFORMATION
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Registration Fees
Members may register for $100.00 and non-ACC members for $125.00. Early bird pricing - members may register for $75 until August 23. See registration site for details
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Location
The 2024 Summit is an in-person only event. The Union League Club is located at 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604. We will be offering complimentary headshots at the Summit. If you’d like to obtain a headshot, you will want to dress appropriately. Smart Casual Attire is required throughout the Clubhouse and is defined as: A relaxed, well-dressed look. Smart Casual may include jeans, denim, and collar-less shirts.
Parking
Discounted Parking is offered through the Club - both Valet and Self-Parking. Visit https://www.ulcc.org/.
Overnight Accommodations are available
Standard rooms are offered at a daily group rate of $259.00 per room + 20% per night surcharge. Reservations are available by calling 1.800.443.0578. Please reference: ‘ACC Chicago’ for the group rate which expires August 28. Guests pay their own charges. Please have a credit card number ready to provide as a guarantee.
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Illinois Continuing Legal Education Credits
ACC Chicago is an Approved Provider with the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The association will be seeking CLE credit for seven (7.0) hours with the State of Illinois including 2.0 (pending) for Professional Responsibility – Ethics. To receive MCLE credits with Illinois, an attendee must sign in at when they arrive and turn in a timesheet prior to leaving for the day. Attendees must provide their Illinois ARDC number and email address.
Summit Registrations – Transfers and Cancellations
Transferability: Registrants will be permitted to transfer their registration to another person prior to Friday, September 13 at 5:00 pm. After that date and time, registration cannot be transferred.
Refunds and Cancellation: Registrants may cancel their registration, prior to Wednesday, September 11 at 5:00 pm, subject to a $10 administrative fee which will be deducted from the refund.
ABOUT ACC AND ACC CHICAGO
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The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global bar association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organizations. ACC anticipates and understands the needs of the in-house bar; helps members deliver services to their corporate clients efficiently; promotes the value of in-house services; influences the practice of law as it affects the in-house bar; and delivers a mix of relevant, timely services including information, education, networking and advocacy.
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With more than 40,000 members employed by over 10,000 organizations in 85 countries, ACC connects its members to each other and to the people and resources necessary for their personal and professional growth.
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ACC Chicago is one of the largest, most progressive and highly successful Chapters within ACC. We have about 2200 in-house counsel members representing virtually every leading local, national and international company in Chicago and the surrounding areas. ACC Chicago is dedicated to serving the needs and interests of the Chicago in-house counsel community. We also proudly focus on promoting diversity and the legal pipeline. We strongly encourage members to become more involved with our Chapter, and non-member in-house counsel to join. We believe that you will find it to be both professionally and personally rewarding.
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Visit acc.com/chicago for more information.