Law Department Executive Leaders

ACC’s Law Department Executive Leaders Group

The heads of operations of very large law departments participate in ACC’s Law Department Executive Leaders Group to learn from each other about strategies and tactics for the effective management of the global legal function. They participate in roundtable discussions and benchmarking activities facilitated by ACC, and tap into ACC’s valuable library of resources focused on law department management.

Who It Is For and Why

ACC’s Law Department Executive Leaders group is designed to support the effectiveness and advancement of the legal operations leaders of the largest North American law departments. Heads of legal operations (the “COOs”) are charged with ensuring that every dollar spent and management tactic is appropriate, maximizes value, and increases quality and efficiency. One important way to be effective in that role is to interact with peers who perform the same function in other large law departments, learning from each other.

How It Works

ACC organizes roundtables three times a year for group members to benchmark practices and discuss challenges and opportunities of common interest. 

  • Benchmarking discussion topics include:
Outside counsel/LPO management
 In-sourcing vs. out-sourcing
Budget management
 Process and project management
Knowledge/records management
 Purchase/use of technology
Talent recruitment, development and training
 Organizational structures (geographic, functional)
Managing across global geographic regions
 Standardization (templates, processes)
Metrics (KPIs) and analysis
 Communications (website, portals, newsletters, blogs)
Pro bono and diversity programs
  

  • ACC provides informative background materials on each topic, and produces an executive report covering key take-aways from discussions that are added to the group's resource library.

  • ACC also furnishes the group with a listserv ("ACC eGroup") to facilitate ad hoc benchmarking and for quick answers to quick questions.

  • The ACC Law Department Executive Leaders Group (LDEL) is member-focused and member-driven.
  • Each roundtable is "hosted" and moderated by an LDEL member, who chooses the topic(s) of discussion, often based on suggestions offered in previous meetings or via the eGroup.
  • ACC staff stand ready to collaboratively meet specific and appropriate requests for additional support identified by the group in areas such as data/metrics benchmarking.
  • ACC staff also helps group members gain favorable exposure for their know-how, tapping members with opportunities for speaking and writing engagements and member-drive resource development.

For More Information

Contact Catherine J. Moynihan, ACC's Director of Legal Management Services, at moynihan@acc.com or 202.696.1559.