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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 Association of Corporate Counsel - Houston Chapter

Cordially invites you and your guest for

Cocktails and Dinner

To honor our 2023-2024 Scholarship Recipients

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

6:30 p.m. Cocktails

7:00 p.m. Dinner

Maggiano’s Little Italy

2019 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, TX 77056


Special Thank You to Our 2024 DE&I Champions
Baker Wotring LLP & Blank Rome

 

From cultivating a diverse and inclusive legal department, to managing DEI expectations and results with outside counsel and vendors, to sometimes devolving, to navigating the array of evolving and often conflicting public and political climates surrounding this critical pillar of law and business, fully grasping and mastering DEI can be daunting. This Webcast will provide a crash course in effectively understanding and managing DEI to the benefit of your organization and its staff, reputation, and bottom line.

From cultivating a diverse and inclusive legal department, to managing DEI expectations and results with outside counsel and vendors, to sometimes devolving, to navigating the array of evolving and often conflicting public and political climates surrounding this critical pillar of law and business, fully grasping and mastering DEI can be daunting. This Webcast will provide a crash course in effectively understanding and managing DEI to the benefit of your organization and its staff, reputation, and bottom line.

Join the ACC, Washington Chapter at The Triple Door, Musicquarium Stage in downtown Seattle on March 14th at 5:30pm for an engaging evening with Paula Boggs, a distinguished speaker and musician! This event offers a delightful opportunity to earn CLE credits, connect with peers, and gain valuable insights from an exceptional Fortune 500 legal leader.

Paula Boggs is truly one-of-a-kind. Locally renowned for her decade-long role as the General Counsel of Starbucks, she has also held leadership positions with the Association of Corporate Counsel, Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), and the American Bar Association. Recognized with a Puget Sound Business Journal Director of the Year Award, Paula has been named one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Directors for her contributions to both for-profit and non-profit boards, in addition to being a NASDAQ corporate director.

A distinguished Army Airborne veteran and U.S. Army Captain, Paula made history as one of America’s first women to receive an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Prior to her tenure at Starbucks, she held executive roles in the technology industry, served as a law firm partner, and worked as a federal prosecutor.

Paula is not only a legal powerhouse but also a talented artist. Appointed by President Obama to the President’s Committee for the Arts and the Humanities and the White House Council for Community Solutions, she is internationally recognized as a "citizen-artist" and was honored with the 2018 Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award. Paula will share her insights into leading a purpose-driven life as an in-house lawyer, discussing her passions, inspirations, and even performing with her band!

Don't miss the chance to experience the wisdom, experience, and talent of Paula Boggs at this exceptional event!

 

ETHICS & EDI DAY

ACC COLORADO ETHICS (EDI) DAY 2024
Five (5) ETHICS & Two (2) EDI CREDITS* APPROVED!
December 5, 2024 | 8:30 AM - 4:20 PM
REGISTER NOW!

Members: $140 ($20 per credit) | Corporate Paralegals welcome at member price | Non-members: $250
*Colorado Lawyers required to complete two credit hours in the area of equity, diversity, and inclusivity, and five credit hours in the areas of legal ethics
 Register NOW to settle in and spend the day fulfilling you professional responsibility cle requirements. 
(meals and snacks/beverages included) with informative ACC Colorado sponsor/speakers 
and your premier metro area in-house counsel network. 

This 18th annual ethics and edi approved program is designed specifically 
for Colorado in-house counsel.

ACC Colorado's Ethics & EDI Day is offered in-person only. Registration is open to ACC members and non-members 
(must be in-house counsel or corporate paralegal please). 

Five (5) Ethics CLE & Two (2) EDI Credits Approved! 

REGISTRATION OPEN!
AGENDA  PROGRAM 

Registration 8:30am
Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Beverages Included  
Parking: Halcyon Discounted $28 Valet or SPOT HERO options
8:30 AM – 4:20 PM    


 

9:00AM – 10:00AM
Session 1
_____

Settling into the Remote Landscape: Updates on Ethical and Legal Obligations in the Remote World ~ A Review of Ethical and Legal Updates on Issues Including Data Privacy, Data and Document Retention, and Remote Work
Stephen E. Baumann II | Littler Mendelson P.C.
Carolyn Theis | Littler Mendelson P.C.
Bradley Crowell | Littler Mendelson P.C.

Kick-off Ethics Day with this comprehensive review of recent ethical and legal developments affecting remote work, focusing on key areas such as data privacy, data retention, document management, and evolving obligations for navigating the complexities of the remote environment, ensuring compliance with ethical standards and legal requirements. 

10:00AM – 11:00AM
Session 2
_____

Preparing and Producing Company Witnesses: Putting Your Best Foot Forward Without Crossing Ethical Lines
Eric Hobbs | Shook Hardy & Bacon
Katherine Landfried | Shook Hardy & Bacon
Mary Kate Throckmorton | Shook Hardy & Bacon 
Alexis MacDowall | Clarios 

This session focuses on the ethical duties and do’s and don’ts relating to preparation of company witnesses for depositions and trial. What can a lawyer do (in-house and outside counsel) to make a witness’s testimony as strong as possible without running afoul of ethical and legal rules? And, importantly, the presentation will cover examples as they apply to the more-and-more common scenario of witnesses being examined using remote/Zoom technology.

11:15AM – 12:15PM
Session 3
____

Navigating Attorney-Client Privilege with Independent Contractors: Explore 
A/C Privilege Generally, Basic Rules for Third Parties, Case Law, and Real World Scenarios
Bill Peffer | Sherman & Howard/Taft 
Christian Hendrickson | Sherman & Howard/Taft
Delve into the complexities of applying attorney-client privilege in the context of third-party contractors. This session covers fundamental rules, relevant case law, and real-world scenarios to help legal professionals understand how privilege may be extended or limited in these relationships. 

12:30PM – 1:30PM
Session 4
_____

Testing, Monitoring, Remediation and Whether, When, and How to Escalate Identified Issues to the Board 
John D.W. Partridge | Gibson Dunn
Cristin Bracken | Gates Corporation 
James Lebeck | SM Energy

 Gain insight into the process of identifying and addressing compliance issues within an organization. The program focuses on when and how to escalate critical matters to the board, ensuring proper oversight and accountability.

1:30PM – 2:30PM
Session 5
_____

SF

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas: AI's Impact on In-House Counsel
Troy Rackham | Spencer Fane
Maureen Watson | meQuilibrium

Artificial intelligence (AI) could be a boon to the legal profession with particular advantages for in-house counsel.  AI may cause significant ethical dilemmas for lawyers in and outside of the corporation. Join this session for discussion about AI technology related to the in-house and outside counsel corporations retain. This ethics discussion includes real-world scenarios that have exposed lawyers and clients alike to material advantages and risks of using generative AI. 

2:40PM – 4:20PM
Session 6

How Law (and Politics) Are Shaping How Employers Are Approaching DEI
Dave St. John-Larkin  | Perkins Coie
Chris Wilkinson | Perkins Coie 

Finish the home stretch of Ethics Day 2024 with presenters exploring recent federal and state law developments related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and share best practices for navigating the ever-evolving legal, social and political dynamics for employers.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   SF

       

 

As a follow-up to the popular webinar this McCarter team presented last July regarding the impact of the Supreme Court's decision invalidating the use of race in college admissions (SFFA v. Harvard; SFFA v. University of North Carolina), now we ask:

Can employers "WELCOME" the following in one

set of policies?

all races and ethnicities

all religions

all countries of origin

all gender identities

all sexual orientations

all abilities and disabilities

all spoken languages

all ages

Corporate DEI policies and practices have come under increasing scrutiny by people and organizations who believe the policies have gone too far. Headline-grabbing "reverse discrimination" lawsuits have resulted in eye-popping verdicts; Fortune 500 companies and law firms have been sued, and more lawsuits will likely follow in 2024.

Properly harnessed and managed, diverse teams can accomplish things that homogenous teams cannot; at the same time increased diversity also presents challenges for employers. Now, businesses may be called on more frequently to justify their DEI programs in court and public opinion.

Employers have an opportunity to adjust and recraft their DEI policies to be more effective and at the same time protect themselves from claims that such programs violate the law.

Join us for this important learning CLE program about how as US society and US workforces becomes more diverse, organizations can address how to best operate in the increasingly diverse ecosystem.

VIRTUAL DE&I CLE CREDITS

Speakers:

Hugh Murray III - Partner, Chair labor & Employment Practice McCarter & English, LLP

Moy Ogilvie - Partner, Hartford Office Managing Partner, McCarter & English, LLP

Tiffany Hubbard - Partner, McCarter & English, LLPP

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Oct. 30, 2023 addressing the use of artificial intelligence by the government and employers.

Employers must take note that this action imposes new policies and affects civil rights issues and employment opportunities. This article provides an overview of the EO’s eight guiding principles. 

This program originally aired on Sept. 9, 2023. Please note that the on-demand format of this program is not eligible for CLE/CPD credit.


In the companion cases Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Univ. of North Carolina, the US Supreme Court recently held that race-based admissions practices in higher education are unconstitutional. Although the decision primarily deals with higher education, it also has potential implications for employers across all industries. Join us for a discussion on what those implications are, what we see for the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and our recommendations for what employers should do to stay on top of this constantly shifting landscape.


This panel will feature the following speakers:



Kamla Alexander

Former General Counsel, Americas

Dentsu (Bio)


Kimya S. JohnsonChief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and PrincipalJackson Lewis P.C. (Bio)


Michael D. ThomasPrincipalJackson Lewis, P.C. (Bio)




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