2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting

When Things Go Sideways – Crisis Management Primer for Corporate Counsel

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Eastern Time

Duane Holloway

Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer

United States Steel Corporation

Judy Smith

Founder & President

Smith & Company

John Blood

Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer, Corporate Secretary

AB Inbev

Lacey Bundy

SVP, General Counsel, & Secretary

Petsmart

Diversity & the Board – Lessons Learned from the ACC Experience

Monday, October 18, 2021

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Donny Ching

Legal Director

Royal Dutch Shell plc

Ona Dosunmu

President & CEO

National Association of College and University Attorneys

Shannon Klinger

Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Moderna, Inc.

Mike Madden

Head of Group Legal, Commercial and Procurement

Hyne Timber

John Page

SVP, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer & CLO

Golden State Foods Corp.

How Ethical Is Your Company?

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

12 – 1 PM ET

Lucy Fato

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Global Head of Communications and Government Affairs

American International Group, Inc.

 

Tony West

Chief Legal Officer

Uber Technologies, Inc.

Tim Erblich

President & CEO

Ethisphere

Richard Rothberg

Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Dell Inc

 

CLO to CLO: Leadership Lessons from a Year+ of Crisis

David Flavell

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

PepsiCo Inc

Leanne Geale

Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Governance & Compliance

Nestle S.A.

LaTanya Langley

Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

BIC

David Zapolsky

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Amazon.com, Inc.

ESG & the Role Corporate Counsel Play in Public Policy

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Maria Ghazal

Senior Vice President & Counsel

Business Roundtable

Desiree Ralls-Morrison

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

McDonald's Corporation

Rena Reiss

Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Marriott International, Inc.

Ritva Sotamaa

Chief Legal Officer & Group Secretary

Unilever

1001 - The Chief Legal Officer’s Point of View: Sustainability, Racial Justice, and In-House Pro Bono

Thursday, October 21, 2021

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM ET

 

Sandra Phillips Rogers

Group Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Toyota Motor North America

Todd Machtmes

General Counsel

Salesforce.com, Inc.

Eve Runyon

President & CEO

Pro Bono Institute

Allon Stabinsky

Senior Vice President and Chief Deputy General Counsel

Intel Corporation

Every year, ACC offers its networks, chapters, individual members, sponsors, and partners the opportunity to submit program ideas for the ACC Annual Meeting. Submitters of accepted ideas will be responsible for organizing their selected sessions at the Virtual Annual Meeting, October 19-21, 2021.

The program idea submission deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. The call for programs is now closed.

Please see below for additional guidance and information.

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2021 Call for Programs Information

• AM21 will be held virtually, October 19-21
• Top Session Content Priorities: 
  • Advanced-level sessions
  • Innovative virtual session formats
    • Audience polling, while encouraged and appreciated, does not qualify as “innovative format” on its own
  • Networking-oriented sessions
  • Addressing specific non-US jurisdictions/regions 
• Session Duration: 
  • Panel sessions: 60 minutes (including 10-15 minutes for Q&A)
  • Innovative format sessions: May request additional time
• Speakers per Session: 
  • Panel sessions: 2-3 speakers, which should include one moderator
  • Innovative format sessions: Discuss needs with ACC session liaison

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2021 Curriculum

This list sheds light on the high-level categories most selected programs will fall into at the meeting. However, we welcome submissions outside the scope of this list.

• Business & Leadership    
• Career Development
• Compliance
• Contract Drafting
• Corporate Governance
• Cross-border/Global
• Data Privacy & Security
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Employment & Labor
• Environment & Energy
• Ethics
• Government Regulation
• Health Law
• Information Governance
• Intellectual Property
• Law Department Management/Legal Operations
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Negotiations
• Networking Opportunities
• Social Media
• Technology

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Helpful Resources for Preparing Submissions

1. Submission Prep Tool – Helps organize and prepare your submissions. Download here 
2. Advanced-level Session Guidance – Consider this guidance from the outset to ensure that your advanced-level session actually hits the mark. 
3. Innovative Format Ideas – Provides proven formats for actively engaging a virtual audience. 

FOR NETWORKS ONLY: 

1. Network Data Memos – Provide helpful background for brainstorming by outlining network-relevant 2020 resource and programming data. Access 2021 Data Memos here  
2. 2020 Deferred Network Programs – If your network wishes for an AM20 deferred program to be presented this year, please reevaluate the content as needed and re-submit it as part of the AM21 Call for Programs. Retrieve AM20 deferred program information here  
3. Network Passwords – Network representatives must enter network’s password to prevent unaffiliated sponsors from submitting under the network’s name. Access network passwords here 

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ACC Network Information

1. Confirm the estimated number of programs your network will be awarded. (See chart below.)
2. To demonstrate a higher level of member support for your idea, collaborate in advance with other networks’ Program Chairs and develop joint submissions that cross practice areas. 
   • Only ONE network should submit the joint proposal (“primary network”), designating the partner network on the submission form (“secondary network”). 
     • The proposal will only count toward the primary network’s submission count, and the primary network will be responsible for assigning a Program Organizer.
     • The secondary network will be allowed and expected to assist with speaker recruitment, program development, additional resource creation, etc. 
     • Both networks will receive all due attribution. 
3. Rank your program submissions in order of the network’s preference. The Advisory Board defers strongly to these rankings to whenever possible during Program Selection; however, a high ranking does not guarantee selection.
4. If one of your ideas is not well suited for sponsor participation, please indicate that on the submission form.

Number of Programs by Network

The awards below have been determined based upon a variety of objective and subjective factors, including 2020 Annual Meeting feedback, network size and engagement, and virtual conferencing best practices. 

Want more programs? The Advisory Board may award more programs than listed below to Networks submitting programs that address legal ethics, non-US jurisdictions. Well-explained virtual workshops and joint submissions may also merit additional program awards. 
 

Network	Annual Meeting Program Slots Awarded	Requested Number of Program Idea Submissions*
Compliance & Ethics	2-3	3-4
Corporate & Securities	2-3	3-4
Employment & Labor	2-3	3-4
Energy	1-2	2-3
Environmental & Sustainability	1-2	2-3
Financial Services	1-2	2-3
Health Law	2-3	3-4
Information Governance	1-2	2-3
Insurance Staff Counsel	1-2	2-3
Intellectual Property	2-3	3-4
International Legal Affairs	2-3	3-4
IT, Privacy & eCommerce	2-3	3-4
Law Department Management	2-3	3-4
Litigation	2-3	3-4
New to In-house	1-2	2-3
Nonprofit Organizations	1-2	2-3
Real Estate	1-2	2-3
Small Law Departments	2-3	3-4
Sports & Entertainment	1-2	2-3
Women in the House	1-2	2-3

* These additional submissions are requested to help the Advisory Board reconcile networks’ overlapping program ideas during Program Selection. 

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ACC Chapter Information

• Hundreds of submissions are reviewed by an Advisory Board of ACC member volunteers, which selects the sessions that will be included on the final program agenda. 
• The majority of speakers on every session should be in-house lawyers (absent prior approval from ACC). 
  • In-house lawyer speakers are granted complimentary registration to the entire meeting.
• Sponsor representatives are invited to fill one speaking slot on every session. 
  • For a sponsor representative to speak on a session, their company must sponsor the 2021 ACC Annual Meeting.
  • ACC will be happy to assist you with filling the sponsor speaking slot, if needed.  
• When making your submission, please select "Member" as the submission type and note your Chapter affiliation in program description field.

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Sponsor Information

• Each sponsor may submit up to three (3) program ideas.
• If your program idea is selected by the Advisory Board, you will be offered a Gold Level sponsorship at a cost of US$22,500. 
  • By submitting a proposal, you are agreeing to participate as a gold sponsor if your program is selected. 
• If your program idea is not selected, you may be offered the opportunity to participate as a Silver or Blue Level sponsor. 
  • Contributing speakers to other programs as a Silver Level sponsor requires proactive collaboration with one of ACC’s Networks on the substance of their program. Silver Level status may be revoked in instances of failed collaboration. 

In addition to the opportunity to organize and present a program at the 2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting, Gold Level sponsors are entitled to the following benefits:  

• 12 Full registrations, which include your firm's speaker registrations
• Virtual Booth, to allow you to chat with attendees and showcase your resources
• One push notification to drive traffic to your booth
• Inclusion in virtual conference gamification
• Opportunity to host special attendee social function during the conference
• Branding and recognition within the virtual conference platform
• Branding and recognition on ACC website, with sponsor logo linked to URL of your choosing

Speaking Slot Opportunities

Speaking opportunities accumulate based upon your role and level of support. Additional speaking slots are US$2,500 each.

E.g., an ACC Network sponsor that is also a Silver Level sponsor will receive up to 3 speaking slots total at the meeting (2 Network slots + 1 Silver slot = 3 speaking slots)

• Gold Level Sponsorship: up to 2 Speakers 
• Silver Level Sponsorship: 1 Speaker
• Blue Level Sponsorship: 0 Speakers 
• ACC Network Sponsorship: up to 2 Speakers
  • Network sponsor speaking slots should be arranged through early collaboration with your Network. Discuss in January which ideas they plan to submit and agree upon those that, if selected by the Advisory Board, will have slots reserved for your participation. 

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Important Dates

Item	Date
Program Idea Submission Deadline	Wed., Feb. 3, 2021
Program Selection Notifications Sent	Wed., March 31, 2021
Program Organizer Submission Deadline*	Wed., April 14, 2021
Speaker Submission Deadline*	Fri., June 4, 2021
Course Material Submission Deadline	Tues., Aug. 31, 2021

*ACC confirms Program Organizer and speaker submissions on a rolling basis.

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Tips for Preparing Program Ideas

As you develop each idea, ask yourself...

• Been there, done that? If you’ve seen a program on this topic before, then articulate what you will do differently that will make yours more valuable.
• Is this too basic? (Answer: Probably, yes.) What can you do to dig deeper into the subject and level-up your program’s appeal for experienced lawyers? 
• How will you engage the audience? Plan and articulate your vision for making your lessons stick through workshopping, games, audio/video incorporation, or other effective virtual learning techniques.
  • Submissions that include opportunities to learn and network with others facing similar challenges are strongly encouraged.
  • Remember: Creative format ideas automatically advance to the second round of review.  
• What will the attendee actually learn? Proposals that describe specific, practical learning objectives tend to result in higher quality presentations. 
• What resources will your attendee take back to the office? Identify takeaway materials in advance and develop plans for incorporating them into the presentation. 
• How big is your potential audience? Hundreds of members from around the globe attend the ACC Annual Meeting; limiting your scope to US issues cuts down on the appeal of your program.
• Do in-house counsel from large and small legal departments handle or experience this differently? If so, be sure to address that in the description and plan to recruit both types of speakers if your idea is selected.
• Can I realistically find qualified, available speakers for this program by the deadline? If not, please consider a different submission.

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Using the Submission Portal

1. Log in to the submission portal.
   • Networks, Chapters, Members & Partners: SUBMIT YOUR PROGRAM IDEAS HERE
     • NETWORKS NOTE: You will need to enter your network’s password to prevent unaffiliated sponsors from submitting under your network’s name.
   • Sponsors: Submit your program ideas through the customized link you received via email (email marketing@acc.com to request a re-send of the link)
2. Click on the “Add Program Idea + ” button to begin.
3. Once the program information is entered, select a submission status: “Save & Edit Later” or “Final Submit.” Only programs marked “Final Submit” by the deadline will be considered for selection.
4. Click “Save Program Idea” and close the box to return to the main screen and add another program idea. (Repeat steps 2-4 as necessary to enter all submissions.)
   • NETWORKS NOTE: Once all program ideas are entered, use the arrows to rank your submissions according to your network’s priority preferences.
5. Once complete, click to finalize your submission. You will receive a confirmation email at the address provided. 

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Speaker Selection

• To ensure a diversity of perspectives and involvement at the Annual Meeting, speakers may not present for more than two consecutive years. 
• Panels may consist of a maximum of three (3) speakers total. 
  • One of the three speakers should be assigned to serve as moderator for the session. 
  • Approved in-house speakers will receive a complimentary meeting registration. 
• In-house Counsel Ratio: In-house counsel should comprise the majority of speakers on every session, absent prior approval from ACC. 
  • Exceptions are granted for programs that recruit regulators, judges, academics, non-legal business leaders, and others that are neither sponsor nor in-house counsel. 
  • Approved non-in-house speakers will be issued a day pass for the day of their speaking engagement.
• Outside counsel and/or legal service providers may speak on panels only if their organization is a sponsor of the 2021 Annual Meeting. 
• ACC reserves the right to decline speakers if they do not meet the criteria.
• Additional speaker guidelines will be provided following Program Selection.
   

Diversity Commitment

ACC endeavors to ensure that all programs at its meetings feature diverse perspectives. 

Please assist with this effort by proposing speaking candidates that are diverse not just in terms of type and years of work experience, law department size, and geographic location, but also race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and physical abilities.

As part of our resolute commitment to showcasing the expertise of under-represented members of the legal profession, ACC will only approve panels that include people of color. Similarly, all-male panels will not be approved. 
 

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Questions?

•    ACC Networks: Contact your ACC HQ network liaison 
•    Individual Members & ACC Chapters: Contact Rachel Okolski, Associate General Counsel & Director of Program Development
•    Sponsors: Contact Moustafa Abdel-Kader, Director of Business Development

As we continue to plan for the upcoming conference season, our top priority remains the health and safety of our attendees, speakers, staff, and sponsors. Therefore, at this time we are considering only hosting virtual meetings in 2021 (unless otherwise noted in advance). We are carefully monitoring the status of vaccine distribution, as well as any changes to federal and local guidance. These will all be taken into consideration to make informed decisions about hosting live or hybrid events once we can assure the well-being of all stakeholders. As more information becomes available, we will be sure to keep the ACC community informed.

7 great reasons why you should attend the Virtual Annual Meeting:

1. The best content. The 2021 Annual Meeting's educational sessions address crucial subjects impacting the legal profession. Gain access to global perspectives where ideas will be shared, challenges addressed, and creative solutions discovered. 
2. CLE/CPD credit. Expand your knowledge and get the professional development you need. Earn up to the maximum number of virtual credits your jurisdiction allows, at one event! 
3. Get inspired. Immerse yourself among the best and brightest thought leaders in the legal profession as you position yourself as an industry expert.
4. Networking. Exchange ideas and share experiences with thousands of your colleagues from around the globe with structured and unstructured networking opportunities.  
5. Real-time solutions. Learn more about the business climate while discovering new innovative tools and services from law firms and legal service providers.
6. Save on time and travel costs, all while enjoying the flexibility of attending sessions from the comfort of your (home) office.
7. Have fun! The 2021 Annual Meeting adds a layer of enjoyment to managing your career growth by mixing social aspects into your learning and industry efforts. 

Download the justification toolkit and make the case to attend

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Look Who's Talking

Don’t just take our word for it! Hear from your peers why they keep coming back to the ACC Annual Meeting.

“This is the best event of the year for in-house counsel.”

Afsaneh Ambrose, General Counsel, Acumen Solutions, Inc.

 

“We find the sessions are incredibly useful. I make sure there is room in our budget every year for our whole team to come.”

Ryan Owens, Chief Legal Officer, DS Waters of America, Inc.

 

“I come every year. It is the best conference in the year. This is where I learn the most.”

Alan Tse, Global Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

"The Annual Meeting was an excellent experience that exceeded my expectations."

Toni P. Douaihy, Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Macy's Inc.

 

"It was the best conference I have ever been to....The sessions were all excellent."

Julianne Wantrup, General Counsel, Monash University

 

"My favorite things about the Annual Meeting were a sense of energy and discovery and the ability to connect with experts and fellow in-house counsel across ACC networks and chapters."

Victoria Gage-Bernheimer, Data Privacy Counsel, Accenture LLP

"The primary benefit I see in attending the ACC Annual Meeting is making new professional connections and reconnecting with existing ones, both within your practice area/business and far beyond. Accumulating CLE credits from such a wide offering of panels is a close second, and perhaps one of the most important justifications in presenting the budgeting case for attending the ACC AM!"

Clara Ohr, General Counsel, East Coast Energy Group (formerly)

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Spread the word!

Let your peers, audience, or potential customers know that you will be at the world's largest gathering of in-house counsel! 

Follow and tag/mention ACC: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

DOWNLOAD THE ANNUAL MEETING ZOOM BACKGROUND!

 

For Attendees

Sample Text

• Connect with me at the virtual #ACCAM21, the world’s largest gathering of in-house counsel. Learn more at am.acc.com
• Can’t wait for #ACCAM21! Learn more and join me – am.acc.com
• I will keep on learning at #ACCAM21 – you can too at am.acc.com

Image for LinkedIn and Twitter

Image for Facebook and Instagram

For Speakers

Sample Text

• I’m speaking at #ACCAM21. See you there! am.acc.com
• Hear me speak at the virtual #ACCAM21, the world’s largest gathering of in-house counsel. Learn more at am.acc.com
• Don’t miss my presentation, [session], at #ACCAM21. Register at am.acc.com

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Image for Facebook and Instagram

For Sponsors

Sample Text

• Visit us at the virtual #ACCAM21, the world’s largest gathering of in-house counsel. Learn more at am.acc.com

Image for LinkedIn and Twitter

• We are presenting [session] at #ACCAM21. See you there! am.acc.com
• We can’t wait to meet you at #ACCAM21! am.acc.com

Registration Rates

Registration Type	Register By	Member Rate	Nonmember Rate*
Last Chance	October 29, 2021	US$699	US$1,084

• All deadlines occur on set date at 11:59 PM Eastern time.
• *Nonmember rate includes one year of ACC membership (US$385; membership eligibility rules apply). ACC membership and meeting registration will be confirmed pending approval of eligibility.
• There are NO day passes and NO guest passes available for the 2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting.
• Registering with a credit? Request assistance from an ACC staff member who can register you and apply your credit.

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ALL DISCOUNT CODES POLICY:

Discounts are not retroactive, cannot be combined, and are only eligible for use on new registrations.

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Group Rates

Any company registering three to seven attendees will receive a group discount of US$50 off of each registration.

Any company registering eight or more attendees will receive a group discount of US$100 off of each registration.

When registering online, please indicate you will be registering a group. Registrations must be submitted at the same time to receive the discount. Group discount cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. 

If paying for your group via check or wire transfer, or if you need additional support with group registrations, please email education@acc.com and we will assist in registering your group.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Payment for a minimum of three registrations must be received at one time in order to qualify for the group rate. No retroactive group rates will be given. If you already have a group registration for your organization and would like to add additional registrants, please email education@acc.com and we can assist you.

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Confirmation

Registrations are not considered confirmed until payment is processed. Please do not consider your registration complete until you have received the confirmation email.

If you are an ACC member, after registering for Annual Meeting, you will receive a written registration confirmation by email. If you don’t see an email from ACC Education, please first check your spam/junk mail folder. Then please request a re-send of your confirmation email. If you still didn’t receive it, please contact us.

If you are a nonmember, after registering for Annual Meeting, you will receive a written acknowledgement of receipt of your registration by email, followed by a registration confirmation after your eligibility has been approved. Please allow 24-48 hours after submission for eligibility approval.

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Cancellation Policy

Registration cancellations must be received in writing via cancel@acc.com. Registrations cannot be cancelled over the telephone. Cancellations for registrations processed at the nonmember rate will not be refunded the US$385 membership fee included with the registration. Registration cancellations will adhere to the cancellation policy dates below, no exceptions.

Written cancellation received	Credit/Refund issued
By September 24, 2021	Full refund of monies paid, minus US$75 administrative fee
From September 25 through October 13, 2021	No refunds. 100 percent credit of monies paid applied to future ACC HQ in-person educational program*
From October 14 to October 18, 2021	No refunds.  50% credit of monies paid applied to future ACC HQ in-person education program*
October 18, 2021 and after	No refunds, no credits.

* Credit issued may be used towards the following ACC in-person educational programs: 2022 Annual Meeting, 2022 Corporate Counsel University, 2022 ACC Xchange, 2022 Global General Counsel Summit. Credit may not be used towards any other educational programs not included above. Credit may not be divided among programs and any remaining funds following credit application will be forfeited. Credit may be transferred to an eligible attendee from the same organization, but written notification of transfer (via cancel@acc.com) must be received from the original purchaser in order for the credit to be valid. Credit will expire October 22, 2022.

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Attendee Substitutions

Substitute attendees (from the same organization and eligible to attend) are always welcome. Please email your request to education@acc.com.

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Financial Hardship Policy

ACC offers a limited number of full- and half-price discounts to the Annual Meeting. Preference is given to ACC members who have already incurred the expense of membership dues. Application for hardship and granting of a hardship discount is limited to individuals who meet the criteria for program registration or attendance.

All requests for full- and half-price discounts will be kept confidential and all such determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis. Applicant should fill out a web form explaining the need for financial assistance and how attending this program will be helpful. The deadline to submit an application for this year's Annual Meeting is October 7, 2021.

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Special Requirements

Participants with special needs should note them on the registration form or contact ACC's Education & Meetings Department at education@acc.com. Requests for special accommodations should be sent as soon as you register, but no later than October 5, 2021, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Session Descriptions

• Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation 
• Land on Board Talk: Topics You Should Be Discussing With Your Board 
• There’s a New Leadership Style in Town: Transformative Mentorship 
• Critical Leadership Skills to Guide Legal Teams through Unprecedented Change 
• The Chief Legal Officer’s Point of View: Sustainability, Racial Justice, and In-House Pro Bono 
• Overcoming Resistance to Innovation within the Legal Department
• When Should Your Company Take a Public Stance on Political Issues?
• Media Training for Chief Legal Officers

Session Descriptions

• Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the GC Suite
• Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation
• Critical Leadership Skills to Guide Legal Teams through Unprecedented Change
• Overcoming Resistance to Innovation within the Legal Department
• Creating Repeatable, Right-sourced Processes for Large-scale Legal Review Across Your Organization
• There’s a New Leadership Style in Town: Transformative Mentorship
• Career Insights and Perspectives from Experienced Chief Legal Officers
• Taking Your Company Public: Preparing for the IPO 

Session Descriptions

• In the Tentacles of the Octopus: Navigating the Ever-changing Waters of Privacy Law (Presented by the ACC New to In-house Network)
• Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation
• Employment Law Update
• Modern Records Management 101
• Are You Prepared to Handle an Emergency?
• Investigations from Afar: Pointers & Pitfalls for Remote Investigations
• The Intersection of Ethics & Technology
• IP Indemnification Provisions, Hot Topics, & Negotiating Strategies
• The Legal Do’s & Don’ts of Volunteer Programs
• A Sisyphean Task? Dealing with Regulatory Change in Contracts
• Avoiding Common Pitfalls When Cooperating with Government Investigations
• Get the Facts on SPACs
• New Member Orientation

Session Descriptions

• Headwinds & Tailwinds: Latest Developments Impacting the Use & Enforcement of Post-Employment Restrictive Covenants
• OSHA Is Knocking…Are You Ready?
• Modern Records Management 101
• Creating Repeatable, Right-sourced Processes for Large-scale Legal Review Across Your Organization
• Weekday Update: Culture, Conflict, and Legal Problems - Solved
• Driving Governance & Compliance With Contract Management Solutions
• Avoiding Common Pitfalls When Cooperating with Government Investigations
• The Ever-changing Landscape of Messaging Apps: Balancing Acceptable Use with Information Governance Best Practices
• Overcoming Resistance to Innovation within the Legal Department
• There’s a New Leadership Style in Town: Transformative Mentorship

Session Descriptions

• The New Crisis Management Playbook: What Living through a Global Pandemic Has Taught the Multinational Company
• The New Frontier of Cross-border Remote Work
• COVID-19 Litigation: What We Have Learned So Far & What to Expect Next
• Two Steps Forward & One Step Back-Exploring the Pandemic’s Effect on Women in the Workplace
• Digitizing your Business for a Post-COVID World
• Critical Leadership Skills to Guide Legal Teams through Unprecedented Change

Session Descriptions

• From Renewed Momentum to Sustainable Change: How to Make Real Progress on Your DE&I Commitments
• Weekday Update: Culture, Conflict, and Legal Problems – Solved
• Two Steps Forward & One Step Back-Exploring the Pandemic’s Effect on Women in the Workplace
• Fairness In an Unfair World: How “Neo-banks” & other Fintech Players Help Underserved Communities Gain Access to Credit & Innovative New Technologies
• The Chief Legal Officer’s Point of View: Sustainability, Racial Justice, and In-House Pro Bono

Session Descriptions

• From Renewed Momentum to Sustainable Change: How to Make Real Progress on Your DE&I Commitments
• The New Frontier of Cross-border Remote Work
• There’s a New Leadership Style in Town: Transformative Mentorship
• Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation
• Critical Leadership Skills to Guide Legal Teams through Unprecedented Change
  
   

Session Descriptions

• The New Crisis Management Playbook: What Living through a Global Pandemic Has Taught the Multinational Company
• In-house Counsel’s Role in Anticipating & Managing Global Sanctions & AML Risks: Geopolitics, Transnational Crime, & Economic Warfare
• Multinational & Multidisciplinary Approaches to Innovation in Legal Services: Has Innovation Improved the Delivery of Legal Services?
• Privacy Litigation in Europe: Successfully Challenging Fines & the Rise of Class Actions
• BT’s Efficiency and Cost Reduction Through Digital Transformation
• Changes to Trademark Law Around the World in 2021
• Global Supply Chain Compliance: Navigating Tariffs, Mitigation Strategies, and More
• Evolving US-China Trade Relations: How Multinationals Can Navigate Conflicts
• International Data Transfers in the Schrems II Era: Developments from the First Year

Session Descriptions

• The Ever-changing Landscape of Messaging Apps: Balancing Acceptable Use with Information Governance Best Practices
• The Fine Art of Kicking SaaS
• Blockchain Deep Dive: Hot Issues Right Around the Block
• Transition to Transformation: Emerging Technologies
• Modern Records Management 101
• Privacy Compliance in the Adtech Industry
• Digitizing your Business for a Post-COVID World
  
   

Session Descriptions

• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | The Renaissance of Legal Customer Experience  
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Infosys | Across Clocks, Languages, and Cultures: An In-house Team’s Perspective on the Global Large Deal  
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | Legal Inclusion & Diversity: Shifting Mindsets Internally and Externally
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Bank of Montreal | Driving Legal Department Change to Align with Your Company’s Purpose  
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Chubb | Think Global, Act & Execute Local 

Session Descriptions

• Creating Repeatable, Right-sourced Processes for Large-scale Legal Review Across Your Organization
• Multinational & Multidisciplinary Approaches to Innovation in Legal Services: Has Innovation Improved the Delivery of Legal Services?
• How to Measure Your Tech Transformation ROI
• Overcoming Resistance to Innovation within the Legal Department
• From Renewed Momentum to Sustainable Change: How to Make Real Progress on Your DE&I Commitments

Session Descriptions

• Ascending to the GC Role 
• Navigating Compliance Minefields in Asia 
• Staff composition in APAC 
• Singapore, the Gateway to Asia: Setting up Your Regional Headquarters  
• Records Management Primer for APAC Legal Teams
• "I Didn't Move In-house to Do This!" Finding or Creating Your Ideal In-house Role 
• Evolving China-US Trade Relations: How Multinationals Can Navigate Conflicts 
• Investigations From Afar: Pointers and Pitfalls for Remote Investigations 
• Evolution of the APAC Legal Function 

Session Descriptions

• Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation – EMEA Edition
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | The Renaissance of Legal Customer Experience 
• African Competition & Antitrust Regulation Primer  
• #IamRemarkable Workshop: Refining the Art of Self-promotion and Building a More Inclusive World 
• European Commission Proposed AI Rules Make Big Waves for In-house Legal Departments   
• Conditions for Success 
• Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | Legal Inclusion & Diversity: Shifting Mindsets Internally and Externally 

See the schedule here

A selection of on-demand only programs, available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

No matter where you join us from, or when you log into the meeting, we have a selection of on-demand programs ready and waiting for you. 

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You won't want to miss this year's ACC Value Champion Series. These sessions spotlight our 2021 ACC Value Champions and their successful law department value initiatives and collaborations with their legal service providers.

Click on the expandable rows below to view the session descriptions and speaker information. To view these sessions once the Annual Meeting virtual platform is open to attendees, simply log in, then select the "On-Demand Library" menu option on the left side of your screen.

Our Value Champions have utilized value-focused management practices to cut spending, improve budget predictability, and achieve better outcomes. For additional information, ideas, and inspiration, Meet the Champions here.

ACC Value Champions Series

ACC Value Champions Series – Integrating Technology to Accelerate Legal Services

As legal departments race to add technology and automate as much as possible, the next frontier is integration across point solutions and enterprise systems. These 2021 ACC Value Champions, ranging in size from more than 500 to 5 in-house legal professionals, will share how they have adapted business and legal-specific applications, plus AI and bots, to deliver the right contracts faster, get legal service requests out of inboxes and into smart workflows, and more. Join this session to learn how you too can shape apps you can buy or get your hands on into the platform you need.   

Speakers:  

• Ron Wills, VP of Legal, Crowdstrike

• Bill Deckelman, EVP and General Counsel

• Steven Kresak, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, IBI Group

ACC Value Champions Series – Right-sourcing and Right-engagement Models

We all know there’s no such thing as “one size fits all,” and this session will demonstrate how you can set up decision trees to select the right resources, internally and externally; how you can leverage a single law firm to help you revamp your whole portfolio of litigation or IP; as well as how you can adopt some innovative techniques to effectively manage a preferred panel. What do these use cases have in common? Pricing and outside counsel engagement models designed to ensure the relationships stay on track and costs are contained. 

Speakers:  

• John Burke, Global Head of IT, Contracting & Shared Services Legal, UBS

• Dion Harrington, Chief of Legal Operations, Rio Tinto

• Matt Kellam, Global Director IP, Nouryon

• Mike Roberts, VP, Associate General Counsel, Compass Group

ACC Value Champions Series – Models in Leading Innovation

Want to spark innovation in your legal department? Join these three women, each of whom has more than one ACC Value Champions trophy on her shelf, for a discussion about the different models they have used, and the leadership attributes in common across their award-winning initiatives. Their stories span setting up “Innovation Labs” to foment process improvements internally, collaborating with multiple partners to create an eye-popping contract approval workflow tool, and using their influence to forge a goals-driven approach to improving law firm diversity – plenty of ideas and inspiration, plus advice about how to move from vision to impact.  

Speakers:  

• Farrah Pepper, Chief Legal Innovation Counsel, Marsh McLennan 

• Jessica Vander Ploeg, Senior Legal Operations Manager, Net App

• Jennifer Lagunas, VP, Corporate Legal, Governance, Operations and Assistant Corporate Secretary, AbbVie Inc.

ACC Value Champions Series – Leading Transformations

Sometimes you just can’t get the big impact you need quickly by pursuing one (or two) key initiatives at a time – you have to scrap and replace your structure and stand up a new operations function, or completely revamp your outside counsel management model, or dramatically impact compliance and ethics practices, or … do pretty much all of the above at once. These Champs will tell their stories of wholesale change management on aggressive timetables that got big results – and provide practical advice on leading transformations, whether by partnering or going it alone.  

Speakers:  

• Joe Blasko, General Counsel, James Hardie Industries

• Jan Sbarbaro, Managing Senior Counsel, Change Healthcare

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We are also delighted to offer you exclusive, on-demand content from our ACC Chapters and Networks.

Click on the expandable rows below to view the session descriptions and speaker information. To view these sessions once the Annual Meeting virtual platform is open to attendees, simply log in, then select the "On-Demand Library" menu option on the left side of your screen.

From Our Chapters & Networks

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Compliance Program

Presented by the ACC Compliance & Ethics Network

How do you establish metrics, utilize data analytics, and demonstrate value to the business and to regulators around the world? What are “table stakes” data sets in the U.S. and elsewhere? How does a compliance program move beyond the low-hanging fruit of available data and dig deeper into the business to identify risk and prove it has been addressed? How do you quantify the value of compliance? Hear practical examples from in-house colleagues who generate and use facts and data to tell a tangible story of compliance success. 

Speaker:

• John Lamb, Bilingual Senior Counsel, Caterpillar

Finding your Seat at the Table as a Woman in the Middle East

Presented by the ACC Middle East & North Africa Chapter and ACC Women in the House Network 

This special replay of a 2021 Women in Law & Leadership Month program shares valuable insights from four leading GCs in the Middle East & North Africa region about their career journeys, motivations, and recommendations for creating an environment that supports more women in finding their seat at the table. This highly regarded program was originally presented in March 2021 as a collaboration between the ACC Middle East & North Africa Chapter and the ACC Women in the House (WITH) Network. 

We want you to get the most out of your ACC Annual Meeting experience. That’s why we’ve created sample learning paths for you to follow based on your learning needs and career level. That’s right – curated content, specific to your region to help you build your unique Annual Meeting experience! You can choose from this pre-selected path or a broader list of relevant content.

Tuesday, 19 October, 9:00-10:00 AM HKT | 9:00-10:00 PM ET (18 October) 

Ascending to the GC Role 

Presented by the ACC Law Department Management Network 

 

Tuesday, 19 October, 10:30-11:30 AM HKT| 10:30-11:30 PM ET (18 October) 

Navigating Compliance Minefields in Asia 

Presented by the ACC Singapore Chapter 

 

Tuesday, 19 October, 12:00-1:00 PM HKT| 12:00-1:00 AM ET 

Evolving In-house Team Structures in APAC & the Impact of ALSPs and Legal Tech 

 

Wednesday, 20 October, 9:00-10:00 AM HKT| 9:00-10:00 PM ET (19 October) 

Singapore, the Gateway to Asia: Setting up Your Regional Headquarters  

Presented by the ACC Singapore Chapter 

 

Wednesday, 20 October, 12:00-1:00 PM HKT| 12:00-1:00 AM ET 

"I Didn't Move In-house to Do This!" Finding or Creating Your Ideal In-house Role 

 

Thursday, 21 October, 9:00-10:00 AM HKT| 9:00-10:00 PM ET (20 October) 

Snowed Under? Microsoft 365 – A New Way to Deliver Legal Ops 

 

Thursday, 21 October, 10:30-11:30 AM HKT| 10:30-11:30 PM ET (20 October) 

Investigations From Afar: Pointers and Pitfalls for Remote Investigations 

 

Thursday, 21 October, 12:00-1:00 PM HKT | 12:00-1:00 AM ET 

Evolution of the APAC Legal Function 

See session descriptions

 

Download the APAC one-pager

We want you to get the most out of your ACC Annual Meeting experience. That’s why we’ve created sample learning paths for you to follow based on your learning needs and career level. That’s right – curated content, specific to your region to help you build your unique Annual Meeting experience! You can choose from this pre-selected path or a broader list of relevant content.

TUESDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2021 

Career Growth & Development for the Next Generation – EMEA Edition

Presented by the ACC Law Department Management Network 

Tuesday, 19 October 2021 | 1:00-2:00 PM CET / 3:00-4:00 PM GST 

 

Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | The Renaissance of Legal Customer Experience 

Tuesday, 19 October 2021 | 2:15-3:15 PM CET / 8:15-9:15 AM ET 

 

African Competition & Antitrust Regulation Primer  

Tuesday, 19 October 2021 | 3:30-4:30 PM CET / 5:30-6:30 PM GST 

 

WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021 

#IamRemarkable Workshop: Refining the Art of Self-promotion and Building a More Inclusive World 

Wednesday, 20 October 2021 | 1:00-2:30 PM CET / 3:00-4:30 PM GST  

 

Compliance Forecasting & Decision-making – EMEA  

Wednesday, 20 October 2021 | 2:45-3:45 PM CET / 4:45-5:45 PM GST 

 

Compliance Forecasting Peer Roundtable Discussion – What is on YOUR Horizon? 

Wednesday, 20 October 2021 | 4:00-5:00 PM CET / 6:00-7:00 PM GST 

 

THURSDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2021 

European Commission Proposed AI Rules Make Big Waves for In-house Legal Departments   

Thursday, 21 October 2021 | 1:00-2:00 PM CET / 3:00-4:00 PM GST 

 

Conditions for Success 

Thursday, 21 October 2021 | 2:15-3:15 PM CET / 4:15-5:15 PM GST 

 

Leading Law Department Spotlight: Accenture | Legal Inclusion & Diversity: Shifting Mindsets Internally and Externally 

Thursday, 21 October 2021 | 2:30 – 3:30 PM BST / 3:30-4:30 PM CET / 9:30-10:30 AM ET 

See session descriptions

 

Download the EMEA one-pager

See here for CLE/CPD information

ACC Annual Meeting

The ACC Annual Meeting is the largest in-house event of its kind consistently, drawing over 2,500 in-house counsel. The event consists of three days of unsurpassed networking opportunities and advanced education seminars focused on leading topics of interest to the in-house counsel professional. The event provides a rare opportunity to present your products and services to a large, exclusively in-house counsel audience, build relationships and establish your organization as a key supporter of the corporate counsel community.

In ACC 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting, we welcomed ~3,000 total attendees from 44 countries. Over 2,500 in-house counsel attendees and 40+ sponsoring companies.

This year, ACC 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting includes even more sponsorship opportunities and engagement options with the ACC audiences and members. For Partnership Levels and Benefits, Ancillary Sponsorship Opportunities, and more, view the prospectus.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

 

Gold Sponsors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Sponsors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in the 2021 Annual Meeting!

• Please see here for the ACC Code of Conduct for Events.
• Please see below for answers to frequently asked questions.
• For speaker-specific questions, please see here.
• Some of the below steps ask you to refer to your Registration Statement. Don't have your Registration Statement? Request to have it re-sent.

We are continuing to expand our FAQs. If you have a question not answered below, please email us.

CLE/CPD & Certification Credit

Credits for Live Virtual and On-Demand Virtual Courses

Jurisdictions’ treatment of virtual courses varies – most grant credit for virtual courses, some require that it qualify under self-study rules/limits, and some treat live and on-demand virtual courses differently. We strongly encourage you to review your jurisdiction’s virtual/digital media course and self-study eligibility rules prior to selecting your Annual Meeting sessions. ACC will post any relevant information to the CLE/CPD chart as we receive it.

ACC is applying for CLE/CPD credit for all sessions that are happening live (at the scheduled air dates/times) unless otherwise noted.

Previously recorded sessions from the conference (on-demand content) will be available for attendee viewing during and after the conference. While not pre-approved, the on-demand content may be eligible for CLE/CPD credit under your jurisdiction’s self-study guidelines. Please consult your jurisdiction’s specific rules before submitting for credit for any of on-demand recordings you view. 

What do the numbers on the CLE/CPD chart mean?

The total credits listed reflect the maximum number of credits an attendee can earn at the 2021 ACC Annual Meeting, including the maximum ethics/specialty credits.

How do I calculate my credits? 

• Review the sessions you plan to attend, and compare them to the sessions approved on the chart. If your jurisdiction approved the session, you will earn credit once you attend the course. If the jurisdiction did not approve the session, you may still attend the course; however, your jurisdiction will not award you CLE/CPD credit for attending.
• Pending session approval, in 60-minute states, every 60 minutes of instruction equals 1.0 credit. In 50-minute states, every 60 minutes of instruction equals 1.2 credits.

How do I get my CLE/CPD certificate (Certificate of Attendance)?

About a week following the end of the meeting, we will email all attendees with information about accessing their personal CLE/CPD Service Center, where they will be able to confirm the sessions they attended and then download their Certificate of Attendance.

I didn't receive that email about CLE/CPD.

We ask attendees to first check their spam/junk mail folders. The email sender will be ACC Education. If you still can't find the email, please contact us and we will re-send you that information.

After the meeting, will I be able to get CLE/CPD credits for the sessions I watch on demand?

It depends on your jurisdiction(s). Jurisdictions often require separate filing and reporting for online sessions. We will facilitate this the best we can.

CLE and Virginia-barred attorneys

VA Credit Timing

As you may know, the Virginia State Bar (VSB) has become increasingly strict when granting Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit for programs, especially ethics credit. Regrettably, due to the VSB’s filing review timelines, it will be impossible for ACC to guarantee in advance exactly which 2021 Annual Meeting (AM21) sessions will be granted general and ethics credit by Virginia.

ACC Guidance

To help guide your program selection process, prior to the 2021 Annual Meeting we will send all Virginia attorneys registered for the conference a list of sessions that we anticipate will be granted Virginia credit. We cannot guarantee their approval, but we will suggest a curriculum using our best judgment having reviewed the quality of the course materials submitted by AM21 speakers.

Alternatively, given this uncertainty we also strongly encourage you to consider rolling over your 2021 Annual Meeting credits to your 2022 MCLE compliance year. We would not want you to inadvertently run afoul of your deadlines, since there is a chance that Virginia may not respond to our filing with the anticipated approvals until after the December 15th reporting deadline.

VA CLE Reminders

As you map out your AM21 schedule, we offer a couple of reminders:

• The VSB denies credit for sessions on the topics of Law Department Management, Business/Management, Leadership, Legal Operations, and other non-traditional legal topics.
• Ethics credit is only granted for courses that objectively and specifically address "topics embraced in recognized formulations of rules of professional conduct or codes of professional responsibility applicable to attorneys." Ethics in government, business, and other professions do not qualify for this specialty credit.

For more general information about Virginia MCLE requirements and deadlines, please visit the VSB website: https://www.vsb.org/site/members/mcle-courses

We realize that this is a significant inconvenience, but we assure you that we are committed to doing all we can to mitigate this challenge for Virginia attorneys who attend the ACC Annual Meeting each October. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

For instructions on how you, as an AM21 registrant who is barred in Virginia, can utilize ACC's Online Education catalog to meet the October 31st compliance deadline, please email us at education@acc.com.

More questions about CLE/CPD at the 2021 Annual Meeting?

Contact cle-cpd@acc.com or +1 202.293.4103 ext. 820. Please allow 2 business days for replies.

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Online

What will the virtual Annual Meeting experience be like?

Through our virtual meeting platform, in addition to being able to participate in live programming and engage with speakers who are sharing their thought leadership, and being able to access recorded sessions on-demand, you will be able to interact and have one-on-one conversations with sponsor representatives, and listen to live and/or pre-recorded product demos. You will be able to network with other attendees through a virtual networking lounge, small group roundtable discussions, virtual “meet-ups,” and more. We will provide the content and tools, so that you can make this experience your own. 

What will I have access to?

Virtual attendance gives you access to all virtual programming which includes live content as well as on demand. 

You will be able to network with peers and interact with law firms and legal service providers.

As an Annual Meeting attendee, you will be able to:

• attend live sessions or listen in at your own speed; 
• connect and chat with thousands of your peers; and 
• talk to speakers, thought leaders, and vendors about the latest tech, trends, and best practices across the in-house community. 

How do I access the conference?

The virtual Annual Meeting can be accessed from wherever you have an internet connection.

We will be emailing all registered attendees closer to the meeting about how to access the virtual platform.

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General

How do I change the courses I will be attending?

There will be no session selection via your Registration Statement, as in past years. Instead, you will be able to create your schedule in the virtual conference platform and sync your selections to your own calendar as long as it can accept an .ics file (Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.). Once the program schedule is finalized, you can find it here.

Once we get closer to the Annual Meeting, you will receive an email from ACC Education with login instructions for the virtual conference platform. Once within the platform, you can see and attend the sessions, as long as they still have space. 

Where are the course materials?

Instructions coming soon

What if I need to cancel my registration?

To cancel your registration, please email us as soon as you know you need to cancel. We must receive your cancellation request in writing. Please note the cancellation deadline. 

I have a question about rates/registration deadlines/group discounts/substitutions.

Please visit our Rates page for answers to your questions.

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Can't find an email?

Click on the hyperlinks below to view PDF versions of emails you may have missed! 

Date Sent	Subject Line	Topics Covered	PDF Version
July 13, 2021	Mark Your Calendar Now - 2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting	Includes a downloadable .ics file, CLE/CPD details, and session registration information	View here
August 13, 2021	Mark Your Calendar Now - 2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting	Includes a downloadable .ics file, CLE/CPD details, and session registration information	View here
October 5, 2021	IMPORTANT: 2021 Virtual ACC Annual Meeting - Platform Now Open	Includes virtual platform log-in details, session registration information, and tips on guiding your exploration of the platform	View here

 

We're continuing to expand our FAQs. Didn't find the answer to your question? Please email us and we will respond within two business days.