Dear Colleagues:
It is my great honor to serve as the 2020 President of the ACC National Capital Region Chapter and to work with the other officers, board of directors, staff, our many volunteer leaders, and sponsors to provide the information and support you need to excel in your positions and thrive personally and professionally.
I started 2020 with three priorities: (i) elevating the profile of in-house counsel in our companies and the community; (ii) improving and expanding the chapter’s diversity and inclusion efforts, both internally and externally; and (iii) ensuring the bread and butter of our chapter – our programming – is serving the needs and interests of our members. The COVID-19 crisis has added one more – the health and safety of our members, staff, and sponsors. What unprecedented circumstances we face as individuals and advisors to our clients! As we grapple with new challenges and uncertainty about what the weeks and months ahead will bring, our services are needed now as much as ever.
One early step to advance all four priorities was the creation of the position of Vice President of Engagement, Leadership, and Community to coordinate and report on the activities of our Career Development Forum, CLO & GC Club, Community Service Forum, Corporate Scholars Program, Diversity and Inclusion Forum, Leadership Academy, Pro Bono Forum, Street Law Projects, and Young Lawyers Initiative. More recently, we are expanding our online activities to support education and engagement despite social distancing and address the challenges members face when working from home, including hosting webcast CLE programs remotely and leveraging technology to continue to bring together members for shared learning, mentoring, and support. Look for updates on more developments.
I would like to end on a positive note. This year is our chapter’s 40th anniversary and we have a lot to celebrate. We’ve grown to include more than 2,500 members across Virginia, D.C., and suburban Maryland. In addition, we are uniquely located at the intersection of law, business, policy, and community. We can offer incredible opportunities, such as hosting U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alito earlier this year; one of three Supreme Court justices who have honored us with their time and insights. We are fortunate to be composed of in-house counsel from a broad range of organizations, who bring to our chapter varied and constructive perspectives and in-depth knowledge. Each year we honor the best of the local in-house bar and their contributions to their departments, organizations, and communities. We are moving forward with the 2020 Corporate Counsel Awards and we encourage you to nominate your colleagues and friends (details and nomination form here). We hope to celebrate our anniversary and the award winners with all of you at our annual reception on July 15 at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons. If the reception is delayed, we will proceed with announcing the winners in the Washington Business Journal and via social media and we will celebrate in-person on a later date. What a party it will be when we can all be together again!
In the meantime, please offer ideas and feedback on how we can better serve you and the in-house community by reaching out to me or any of our officers or forum leaders. And, of course, our great staff is always ready to help in any way possible.
Best regards,
Tamara Jack
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
LMI
