ACC Advocacy Policy

The members of the Association of Corporate Counsel ("ACC") have valuable insight to share with regulators, the courts and other stakeholders on a variety of issues that affect in-house counsel practice. The ACC Board of Directors encourages Networks and Chapters to engage in advocacy on behalf of the in-house bar and takes pride in their efforts to advocate on behalf of the corporate counsel profession. 

One of the principal activities of the Association of Corporate Counsel is advocacy on public policy matters affecting its members. As the only global bar association comprised solely of in-house attorneys, ACC provides a unique and important perspective on public policy issues. From its inception, ACC recognized the importance of advocacy by, and for, its membership. Advocacy may occur in court, before legislative bodies and regulatory agencies, as well as in appropriate media outlets. 

ACC’s advocacy activities focus on issues that directly affect the practice of law by its members in their capacity as in-house counsel. Generally, this may include issues affecting the professional role and status of in-house counsel, attorney-client or legal professional privilege and practice and licensing matters. Additionally, it may include substantive legal issues where a unique in-house counsel perspective exists, such as the interplay between internal compliance and reporting systems and government enforcement efforts. 

It is ACC’s policy to not issue public statements on political or foreign policy issues. ACC currently has over 47,000 members in over 100 countries. We center our focus on the common professional and business interests of the in-house counsel on issues such as upholding legal professional privilege, multi-jurisdictional practice, and the value the chief legal officer brings to their organization.  

Additionally, care must be taken to assure that ACC does not assume the role of special pleader on behalf of a particular company, industry or interest group. Some matters are inappropriate for involvement by a global bar association with a diverse membership whose primary purpose is to serve as the professional association for the in-house bar.  

The ACC Board has delegated the oversight of advocacy by, and on behalf of, ACC to its Advocacy Committee. The principal function of the Committee is to consider requests for action furthering ACC’s advocacy agenda. In overseeing advocacy, the Advocacy Committee should ensure that: (1) in all cases, a unique in-house counsel perspective is advanced; (2) the issue is one on which there is universal agreement among ACC members; (3) the process is member-driven; and (4) the process is an efficient one for all requestors. 

In particular, the ACC Board believes that ACC Chapters and Networks, in collaboration with the ACC Advocacy Committee and staff, can constructively advance the overall agenda of the in-house counsel bar by representing the in-house bar as strong advocates of the unique perspective retained by corporate counsel. Such efforts may include, but are not limited to, the filing of amicus curiae briefs, regulatory comment letters and other policy statements. Chapters and Networks must seek approval from the Advocacy Committee before they engage in advocacy on behalf of the association. 

In overseeing the advocacy process, the Advocacy Committee may provide written delegations of authority, from time to time, to Networks and Chapters to conduct advocacy without specific approval by the Advocacy Committee of each advocacy item within the scope of the delegation, provided ACC Staff are timely notified and able to work with Networks and Chapters in advancement of the particular advocacy effort. Such written delegations should be made available to the relevant Networks and Chapters and to the ACC Board at large. These delegations, however, do not obviate the need for close management of such advocacy by the Advocacy Committee. 

The Advocacy Committee, supported by Advocacy Staff, provides reports at periodic intervals regarding the implementation of this policy and activities undertaken by ACC to advocate on behalf of the in-house counsel profession.