As close neighbours, many might assume American and Canadian employment laws are the same – but they are not. Companies carrying on business in (or considering expanding into) Canada could gain a significant advantage by learning about the Canadian employment law environment. By understanding compliant hiring practices, employment legislation, contractual implications, leave entitlements, termination entitlements, post-employment restrictions, and other laws that impact your Canadian workforce, you can make informed decisions and achieve synergy with your domestic workforce.
The panel will delve into the complicated world of international asset ownership structures and international asset transfers and will provide effective, practical advice for United States companies on enforcing a judgment against a foreign national or company located outside the US.
The attorney general is the main legal advisor in most states. Along with their common law powers to protect the public interest, attorneys general enforce many other state and, in some cases, civil laws. Many offices also are involved with certain criminal cases and criminal appeals; some provide advice and guidance to the agencies and departments of state government. Join a panel discussion, moderated by the former Chief Deputy Attorney General from the Delaware Department of Justice, that will provide an overview of the structure and organization of a state attorney general’s office, best practices for companies interacting with a state attorney general’s office and case examples of how companies successfully navigated (or mismanaged) an attorney general’s investigation.
Commercial transactions move at a breakneck pace in today’s business environment. Technological advancements in contract drafting programs, word processing, and video/telephone conferencing have enabled more agreements to be completed in less time. Even so, a bottleneck persists for many organizations during the execution phase of an agreement, governed by archaic principles that don’t take advantage of current laws and technologies. This session will explore the various types of electronic signatures, current laws surrounding electronic signatures, products and services available to support electronic signatures and best practices for adopting an electronic signature program.
Large institutional investors have been increasingly focused on board composition in order to ensure an effective board of directors. Recent activist investor activity has increased the visibility of these issues. This panel will focus on such critical board composition matters as appropriate skill sets, including independent director industry expertise, and board refreshment techniques such as evaluations, tenure and term limits. The panel will also review how these important issues can impact board diversity. Everyone who advises a board of directors should attend this session.
Following the 2014 midterm elections, health care reform in the United States continues to evolve and unfold. This session will discuss the latest developments in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), including Medicaid, Medicare, health care exchanges (marketplaces) and accountable care organizations; and reveal what health care reform may bring in 2016.
This presenter discusses lessons learned from high-profile litigation, including how to manage internal expectations, address reputational risks and remedial measures to consider.
Building a robust IP program requires successful engagement and working relationships with inventors and research organizations. Panelists will offer strategies and practices to engage and incentivize inventors to increase patent filings and protect intellectual property. They will share tips for working within R&D culture to define innovation, identify and document patentable inventions and enlist inventor support and collaboration in protecting the company in the context of third-party engagements. Materials will include sample presentations and training materials for educating research organizations.
An experienced panel of in-house counsel, savvy in the ways of internal politics, will discuss successful methods of law department integration, as well as softer skills in developing relationships within the business necessary for the integration of the legal department as a true business partner adding value. All legal departments face the pressures of lowering expenses as a “cost center” while rarely showing value in the traditional sense a business team is familiar with: revenue generation or “profit.” Panelists will share experiences and stories of success and failure, answer your questions and invite you to share your own stories.
The US sports and entertainment industries are pushing the envelope on privacy as they mine collective behavioral data from fans and consumers. To avoid the cross-hairs of the Federal Trade Commission, in-house counsel must ensure compliance with myriad statutes and regulations, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), CAN-SPAM and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In-house counsel must work effectively with their technology and marketing departments regarding the acquisition, use and protection of this data. This panel will cover strategies for addressing vulnerabilities and avoiding exposure in terms of marketing practices and data security. It will also cover what companies need to know about communicating with fans and consumers about data mining, including mistakes to avoid when drafting privacy policies.