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The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the world's largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations, nonprofits and other private-sector organizations around the globe.

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The Hidden Gem of the ACC CT Chapter – The Paralegal Advisory Committee

Paralegals working in-house perform increasingly complex legal responsibilities for corporations, insurance companies, and financial institutions.  The ACC Connecticut Board (“Board”) recognized the need for a program that would support the in-house paralegal community and, in 2016, recruited a highly motivated and skilled team of in-house paralegals to form a Paralegal Advisory Committee (“PAC”).  The PAC worked independently to lead, design, and deliver innovative programs that would expand on the skills critical to in-house paralegals. Leveraging relevant vendors in the legal community, the PAC can gain full sponsorship to support the program's financial needs at no cost to attendees, thereby expanding the ability to reach those who may not otherwise have been able to attend. 

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Kelly Fortier, Chair/Project Manager
Paralegal Advisory Committee

Kelly is the Chair of the Paralegal Advisory Committee and a member of the committee since its inception in 2016.  Kelly has been working as an in-house paralegal for 22 years at The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. located in Hartford, Connecticut performing litigation management, data analysis and consultation and process improvement projects. 

Contact Info:  kelly.fortier@thehartford.com

 

     Andrea Oddi, Assistant Chair/Project Manager Paralegal Advisory Committee

     Andrea joined the Paralegal Advisory Committee in January, 2017.  Andrea has been working as an in-house paralegal for 12 years at Barings LLC (formerly Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC) located in Springfield, MA, where her primary focus is the support of the company’s global real estate investment advisory group. 

     Contact Info:  andrea.oddi@barings.com

 

   Melissa Fennell, Treasurer
Paralegal Advisory Committee 

     Melissa joined the Paralegal Advisory Committee in April 2023 and serves as Treasurer.  Melissa has been working as an in-house corporate litigation paralegal for nine years at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company located in Springfield, MA.  Her prior experience involves paralegal roles in private practice in the areas of Personal Injury and Estates and Trusts. 

     Contact Info: mfennell@massmutual.com

     Christine Gouin, Secretary
Paralegal Advisory Committee 

     Christine is the Secretary of the Paralegal Advisory Committee and a member of the committee since its inception in 2016.  Christine has been working as an in-house paralegal for over 20 years at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company located in Springfield, MA where her primary focus is the support of the company’s real estate services group. She also supports the company’s investment management group and serves as the Assistant Secretary for the company’s charitable foundation. 

     Contact Info:  cgouin@massmutual.com

Aimée Reed, Event Coordinator
Paralegal Advisory Committee

Aimée has been a member of the Paralegal Advisory Committee since 2017.  She has been working as a Paralegal for over 25 years and has been an in-house paralegal for 20 years at UnitedHealthcare located in Hartford, Connecticut.  Aimée manages litigation and advises both internal and external clients. 

Contact Info:  aimee_t_reed@uhc.com

Sarah Jeffreys, Communications Coordinator
Paralegal Advisory Committee

Sarah joined the Paralegal Advisory Committee in August 2019.  She is new to the profession and has been an in-house paralegal at Henkel Corporation for 4 years. Her primary focus is to support both the litigation and corporate teams. 

Contact Info:  sarah.jeffreys@henkel.com

Glenn Flicker, Technology Coordinator
Paralegal Advisory Committee

Glenn joined the Paralegal Advisory Committee in March 2021. Glenn has worked for over 15 years as a Paralegal for Staff Legal at The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. in Brea, California. His primary focus is to support the litigation team.

Contact Info: glenn.flicker@thehartford.com

Ella Johnson, ACC Chapter Administrator

Ella joined the Association of Corporate Counsel – CT Chapter in April 2023, serving as Chapter Administrator. Over the past 25 years, she worked as a Corporate Paralegal for numerous Fortune 500 companies in Fairfield and Hartford Counties. Ella also held a position working for the Federal government as a Biometric Fingerprint Operator during the 2020 Census; she also had a Real Estate license in Connecticut and a Life Insurance license in Connecticut and Florida.

Contact Info:  e.johnson@accglobal.com

We want to grow and support the corporate paralegal group more than ever! Please show your support by sharing the PAC information with your support staff.

 



The ACC CT Paralegal event occurred at the Pond House in West Hartford on October 30, 2024. This educational and networking gathering convened professionals to explore pivotal subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Data Breaches, and Pro Bono opportunities. The event showcased enlightening talks by specialist speakers and offered significant chances for participants to network and gain knowledge. Heartfelt gratitude is extended to our sponsors, speakers, committee members, and all participants for contributing to the event's triumph.

For your convenience, the PDF documents have been linked below:

Privacy Training

Unlocking the Future - An Introduction to AI

Pro Bono Partnership Presentation

 

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