In these days of increasingly complex technologies and a need for technology to interface effectively, industry standards are becoming increasingly important. Couple this with the increasing importance of standards, companies are finding that intellectual property has a large role in setting these standards. Join us for this open dialogue on the standards war as our panel discusses the nuances of joining a standards body, potential IP licensing and ownership ramifications of a standards body’s intellectual property rights policy, practical issues surrounding essential patents, patent pools, the distinctions between reasonable and nondiscriminatory (RAND) licensing terms, and current IP trends in this area.
International M&A is not a new subject. However, increasing compliance hurdles and the use of information technology to manage data present greater opportunities for success OR failure in a transaction. Do you know the US and non-US laws well enough to clear these hurdles? As regulators become more assertive in protecting personal information, what specific steps should a selling company take? Can an electronic deal room be accessible from outside Europe? How can a prospective buyer acquire adequate information about key non-US employees? Has the increasing focus on data protection given European Works Councils and other unions another weapon? Our panel of M&A professionals will share practical guidance on the topic using real world examples. Take home a solid understanding of the law and useful suggestions for due diligence and compliance.
Our people are our most valuable asset. The best leaders say it. Many genuinely believe it. But until you actually help people identify their own key drivers, and develop strategies to help connect individual and team motivators with organizational goals, you might be trying to drive them harder, not smarter. Our international panel of legal managers will share ideas on motivational drivers common to many lawyers around the world. Benefit from recent research on what motivates lawyers. Learn practical tips to identify and harness the primary motivators of the entire legal team, both in-house and outside counsel and identify tools to help connect organizational strategy with your team's motivational drivers.
Privacy is a hot and ever-changing field. Keep on top of those changes with up to the minute case law, new laws and FTC enforcement actions. Issue spot the latest state and federal privacy laws and benchmark against what other companies are doing.
The ability to deliver effective and efficient training enhances your value as in-house counsel, provides critical preventive guidance in the face of increasing compliance requirements, and fosters close relationships with employees and management. How can a small law department implement and deliver this training? Learn effective methods to present content, communicate critical legal issues, ensure compliance, and make an impact on your company. Coverage will include use of intranets, web-based training, live meetings, PowerPoint presentations, legal briefs and memos, forms, policies, checklists and partnering with third party providers.
As information becomes increasingly electronic, consumers and law enforcement have become concerned about data collection, use, monitoring, and storage of sensitive information, including personal information. There are myriad state and federal laws that deal with sensitive information on a sectorial basis, but these laws may not overlap, or may create conflicting obligations and priorities. Learn the basic concepts of privacy and data security, understand federal and state authority to regulate privacy practices, receive an update on privacy laws governing online activities, and determine what to do if a law enforcement entity starts to investigate your privacy and data security practices.
Attention energy counsel or in-house counsel who deal with energy issues: Here is your chance to receive a review of the latest federal and state energy laws and regulations likely affecting you now. Your regulatory peers will provide you with a comprehensive legislative update to include an overview of recently passed legislation, including an update on the Energy Policy Act and renewable energy legislative efforts.
With intellectual property, especially patents, becoming increasingly important to a company’s overall business strategy, it is critical to understand the legal approaches to maintaining a sophisticated IP strategy through the efficient use of limited resources. This open discussion of legal issues will include upon such topics as on-line IP asset management tools, time/money saving techniques, and working with management to manage their expectations as to what it takes to have an effective IP strategy.
Every business, small or large, local or multi-national, must consider the implications of IP protection and the laws surrounding it. Are you up to date on the most recent developments? If not, here is your chance to receive an overview of the latest issues affecting patent, trademark, and copyright rules in Europe.
As in-house counsel, you are likely the first line of defence or corporate "spokesmodel" in a crisis situation. When press or regulators come knocking at your door will you be prepared? This interactive session focused on BP's largest and most complex refinery and the incident that occurred on March 23, 2005.
2007 ACCE Annual Conference: When you think litigation, you think high costs and time away from more productive work. Other options to costly litigation have been available for some time, but how useful are they? This session focused on the use of mediation as an alternative to litigation.
CCU 2007: As an in-house paralegal, you are likely keenly aware of management functions now being incorporated into your core set of responsibilities and duties. In this presentation learn about the role of management and important considerations and expectations you need to be aware of when adding this function to your duties. Hear about and learn simple but effective skills for supervising staff, and tools to use to foster confidence and improve your management skills that will benefit you and your team.
CCU 2007: Smart companies measure results. In an era increasingly driven by metrics, it is essential for law departments to find or develop tools that provide some measure of the value of the work being accomplished. Our law management explain key performance indicators and benchmarking data for in-house counsel that can be used to measure and track the performance of a law department and how you can apply these tools to foster success within your department.
When the Senate Finance Committee issued its outline for nonprofit reform in the summer of 2004, it became clear that the nonprofit sector would not escape the post-SOX era without significant legislative reform. There is no hotter topic in the nonprofit arena right now than the legislation introduced and proposed as a result of the Senate Finance Committee's report and its hearings in 2005. It is also becoming apparent that the next emerging trend for nonprofits, following close on the heels of governance reforms, is the expectation and requirement of additional non profit transparency in some cases as a substitute for and in others in addition to more direct government regulation of nonprofit activities. In this session, a panel of key experts from Congressional staff and the Internal Revenue Service will respond to questions on the current and proposed federal legislation as such legislation exists at the time of the conference with a focus on transparency issues.
Government regulators can and will visit a facility at any given time and make spot inspections that could have severe financial and legal consequences for your company. Are you prepared? If not, you'll want to join with this panel of your in-house peers as they share what you need to know about the law of government investigations. You'll learn what training procedures to have in place when you've been advised an investigation is underway, what your legal options and rights are, and how to set an appropriate tone from the outset.
Do you feel confident that your company is properly identifying and managing its IP assets? Join your in-house IP peers as they share with you their best practices to legally protecting IP assets including developing and implementing an IP audit system and management strategies. Considerations for small to medium law departments will be specifically addressed.
In a post corporate scandal world, what is the law regarding insurance coverage? Does your D&O insurance cover all that your board expects? Can it do so legally? What insurance should you have and what does it cover? If you are looking for answers to these and other insurance questions, this session is for you! Our coverage specialists will take the mystery out of insurance realities and give you the basics you need to ensure your company is protected against any exposure.
Faced with a multitude of new regulatory requirements from both the government and the stock exchanges, companies are looking at other options for raising equity. Current options include going private, or registering and selling shares on a non-U.S. exchange. This session will examine the pros and cons of these options compared to being publicly traded in the United States, including a close look at the appeal of a listing on the London Stock Exchange.
The role of the shareholder continues to evolve and shareholders continue to be very active in seeking corporate change through the shareholder proposal process. We'll examine the latest shareholder proposals submitted this year, how these proposals fared, and trends for next year. In addition, we will review board responses, which ones were successful and which ones failed to sway the shareholders. What's the next hot topic to come; will it continue to be executive compensation, separation of chairman and CEO, or will there be a new kid on the block?
As a law student, you probably never realized that there were legal issues behind running a sweepstakes or lottery. But as an in-house practitioner, you may be expected to not only know them, but also be an expert on promotional contest processes. Never fear, ACC is here to help. Our small department pros will bring you up to speed on the legal issues involved in running a sweepstakes, lottery, or other promotional contest, examine the laws and regulations surrounding trade show drawings and website promotional giveaways, alternative means of entry, and how and when collecting marketing data to avoid triggering state registration requirements.
Does your nonprofit engage in fundraising practices such as vehicle donations, charitable giving and trusts, raffles, or casino nights? If so, were you aware that they are subject to federal, state, and local government regulation and that civil and even criminal penalties could be applied for failure to comply? In this session, we will address the various legal registration and approval processes in place at various government levels and provide useful advice on how best to handle this regulatory minefield.
Workplace harassment can occur at any level resulting in a significant negative impact on your entire work force and subjecting your company to new levels of exposure for harassment claims. What are the appropriate mechanisms a company must have in place to prevent harassment from happening, thwart litigation from ever materializing, and/or successfully assert an affirmative defense should a case be filed? Our panel of seasoned labor and employment counsel will provide a step-by-step review of the legal processes your company should have to prevent harassment and to protect your company from legal exposure should such a situation occur. We'll send you home with sample forms, policies, handbooks, training materials, investigation materials, discipline letters, and other resources to fully and completely support your ability to effectively prevent and handle workplace harassment.
One of the greatest areas of growth for plaintiffs' lawyers is class actions for violations of wage and hour laws. The FLSA and state laws allow for a wide net to be cast in such cases resulting in huge potential liabilities and settlements. No company is immune, but you can reduce your risk of becoming a target. Whether you've already been sued or are trying to avoid it, you can't afford to miss this session. Our panel of experts will cover the fundamental issues in wage and hour collective actions and advanced strategies for litigating these cases including common mistakes employers make, how to avoid them, and when to settle.
Although most of the recent federal and state regulations and exchange requirements apply only to publicly traded companies, all companies can benefit from good corporate governance practices. Family owned companies often face special challenges when it comes to corporate governance. Learn the best practices for corporate governance applicable to all companies, and how to handle some of these special challenges.
Privacy and the collection of personal information is a hot topic around the globe. Whether you are in the U.S., Europe, or elsewhere in the world, various laws and regulations apply to how you can gather, maintain, or disseminate this information. Get a brief update on the rules and then delve deeper into how to handle this information legally, including how to establish a compliance program to do so, use of internal monitoring systems, and best practices for communicating policies to your workforce.
The most often-cited advantages of in-house practice include the opportunity to be involved in business decisions early in the process, to assist clients in risk management, and to answer to only one client. In short, we value being a member of the business team and as the saying goes, "membership has its privileges." But membership has a decidedly dark side: the potential to destroy the privileges we rely on to be effective advocates. Our panel will explore the peculiar challenges that in-house counsel face in asserting or preserving the attorney-client privilege. We'll cover the criteria for asserting the privilege, who holds the privilege, what actions have been found to uphold or destroy the privilege, how to manage client expectations, and more. When you leave, you'll be better able to identify trouble spots, counsel your client regarding privilege, and make informed decisions about when to draw the line between business and legal advice.
Given the increasing prominence given to international cartels and multi-jurisdictional enforcement cooperation, Fasken Martineau has strengthened its capacity to meet this new challenge with the recent addition of Mark Warner. The firm’s commitment to be at the forefront of the international competition law practice is reflected in Mark’s experience in the OECD advising Members and emerging market Non-Members on trade and competition law issues for WTO negotiations and on international aspects of merger review, cartel enforcement and distribution issues. In particular, Mark was involved in the OECD's pivotal work on international enforcement cooperation. He has also advised governments in South America, Asia and Africa on designing and implementing competition laws.
Description of ACC Member Resources
905 - Managing an International Law Department
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