September 18, 2024 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Chez Zee American Bistro
5406 Balcones Dr
Austin, TX, USA 78731
Overview (Program Summary)
A program hosted by:
ACC AustinGeneral Counsel Panel
Sponsored by Haynes Boone
Adam Sencenbaugh, Partner, Haynes Boone, Moderator, and Panelists Heather Stern, Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Whole Foods Market, Stephen Stout, JD, PhD General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Shattuck Labs, Scott Thomas, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Cirrus Logic, and Melissa Pearson, General Counsel, Raptor Technologies, discuss a variety of topics important to today’s in-house attorneys, including strategies and tips for how to progress in their careers.
One and one-half hour of Texas MCLE General Credit is pending for this presentation.
AGENDA
• 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM - Registration and Networking
• 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Panel and Q/A
Speakers
Heather Stern, Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Whole Foods Market, Austin
In her role, Heather leads the legal teams that handle litigation, employment law, merchandising and operations support, privacy, technology, real estate, supplier quality assurance, and licensing. The asset protection, claims, and risk teams also report into Heather’s team.
Stephen Stout, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Shattuck Labs, Austin
Stephen joined Shattuck in 2021 after spending nearly 15 years in private practice with Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and Baker Botts L.L.P. Stephen’s practice focused on federal litigation, particularly in intellectual property and technology disputes involving the life sciences and digital media. He is also a longtime author of the annually updated O’Connor’s Federal Intellectual Property Codes Plus and an adjunct professor with the trial advocacy program at the University of Texas School of Law.
Scott Thomas, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, CIrrus Logic, Austin Scott Thomas joined Cirrus Logic as vice president and associate general counsel in 2001 and assumed the role of general counsel and corporate secretary in 2003. Thomas manages Cirrus Logic’s legal department and advises the company on a wide range of legal and business issues including intellectual property matters. In addition to two decades of legal experience, Thomas was also an engineer for four years at Texas Instruments and AT&T Bell Laboratories. In the mid-to-late 1990s, he served as an intellectual property attorney at Arnold, White & Durkee, specializing in complex technology-related litigation for corporate clients such as 3M, Adtran and Ericsson. In 2000, Thomas went to Thompson & Knight in Austin, Texas, where he helped establish the company’s new intellectual property section.
Melissa Pearson, General Counsel, Raptor Technologies, Austin Business and strategic results driven CLO, CHRO & director. Ms. Pearson has led IPOs and strategic transactions, led Human Resources, served on Boards of Directors and has broad legal, high tech and government relations experience. Shehas a proven track record of working creatively and providing practical advice to achieve strategic business goals, while reducing key risks, developing policies, driving worldwide regulatory and legal compliance and significantly reducing legal costs. Melissa is a trusted advisor to management and boards of directors with strong communication and interpersonal skills. She has developed and managed effective international legal & government relations teams, and has both public and private company experience and large law firm training in corporate and securities.
Moderator Adam Sencenbaugh, Partner Haynes Boone, Austin
Adam serves as a trusted advisor and zealous advocate for his clients. He has tried more than 20 cases to jury verdict. Adam’s environmental practice focuses on representing clients in CERCLA, TSWDA, and related environmental enforcement matters in state and federal courts throughout the country. Adam’s employment litigation practice is focused on defending clients against myriad employment-related claims, including theft of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, and wrongful discharge.
In her role, Heather leads the legal teams that handle litigation, employment law, merchandising and operations support, privacy, technology, real estate, supplier quality assurance, and licensing. The asset protection, claims, and risk teams also report into Heather’s team.
Stephen Stout, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Shattuck Labs, Austin
Stephen joined Shattuck in 2021 after spending nearly 15 years in private practice with Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and Baker Botts L.L.P. Stephen’s practice focused on federal litigation, particularly in intellectual property and technology disputes involving the life sciences and digital media. He is also a longtime author of the annually updated O’Connor’s Federal Intellectual Property Codes Plus and an adjunct professor with the trial advocacy program at the University of Texas School of Law.
Scott Thomas, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, CIrrus Logic, Austin Scott Thomas joined Cirrus Logic as vice president and associate general counsel in 2001 and assumed the role of general counsel and corporate secretary in 2003. Thomas manages Cirrus Logic’s legal department and advises the company on a wide range of legal and business issues including intellectual property matters. In addition to two decades of legal experience, Thomas was also an engineer for four years at Texas Instruments and AT&T Bell Laboratories. In the mid-to-late 1990s, he served as an intellectual property attorney at Arnold, White & Durkee, specializing in complex technology-related litigation for corporate clients such as 3M, Adtran and Ericsson. In 2000, Thomas went to Thompson & Knight in Austin, Texas, where he helped establish the company’s new intellectual property section.
Melissa Pearson, General Counsel, Raptor Technologies, Austin Business and strategic results driven CLO, CHRO & director. Ms. Pearson has led IPOs and strategic transactions, led Human Resources, served on Boards of Directors and has broad legal, high tech and government relations experience. Shehas a proven track record of working creatively and providing practical advice to achieve strategic business goals, while reducing key risks, developing policies, driving worldwide regulatory and legal compliance and significantly reducing legal costs. Melissa is a trusted advisor to management and boards of directors with strong communication and interpersonal skills. She has developed and managed effective international legal & government relations teams, and has both public and private company experience and large law firm training in corporate and securities.
Moderator Adam Sencenbaugh, Partner Haynes Boone, Austin
Adam serves as a trusted advisor and zealous advocate for his clients. He has tried more than 20 cases to jury verdict. Adam’s environmental practice focuses on representing clients in CERCLA, TSWDA, and related environmental enforcement matters in state and federal courts throughout the country. Adam’s employment litigation practice is focused on defending clients against myriad employment-related claims, including theft of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, and wrongful discharge.
CLE
State: Texas
Category: General
Sponsored By
Haynes Boone is an American Lawyer top 100 law firm, with nearly 700 lawyers in 19 offices around the world, providing services for more than 40 major legal practices. We are among the largest firms based in the United States. Our growth has been driven by our client service strengths, especially our problem-solving acumen and our ability to collaborate with clients.
We have a client-first philosophy, defining success as providing exceptional value to our clients and making real, tangible, and often remarkable contributions to their businesses.
We are dedicated to continuing the heritage of excellence in the legal profession. We will stay focused on the long-term success of our clients, and we remain bound by our teamwork culture.
haynesboone.com
We have a client-first philosophy, defining success as providing exceptional value to our clients and making real, tangible, and often remarkable contributions to their businesses.
We are dedicated to continuing the heritage of excellence in the legal profession. We will stay focused on the long-term success of our clients, and we remain bound by our teamwork culture.
haynesboone.com