Executive Leadership Institute July 21-24, 2026 | Chicago | Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)

ELI Fellow John Blood, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer and Company Secretary, Anheuser-Busch InBev

Prepare for the General Counsel Seat - Before You’re In It

The ACC Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) is an executive leadership program for senior in-house counsel preparing for, or newly appointed to, the General Counsel role.

July 21–24, 2026 | Chicago, Illinois

ELI is a transition accelerator into enterprise-level legal leadership. This immersive program prepares senior in-house counsel for the expanded responsibilities of the GC role, including board engagement, crisis management, executive alignment, and oversight of modern risks such as AI and cybersecurity.

Through direct engagement with experienced CLOs, GCs and enterprise leaders, participants examine the real decisions and pressures of the role - from navigating AI and cybersecurity risk to advising boards and partnering strategically with CEOs.

Since 2014, more than 250 senior in-house leaders have completed ELI. Many now serve as General Counsel at global organizations including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Nordstrom, Booking.com, Staples, and The Hershey Company.

Eligibility
ELI is designed for senior in-house counsel who report directly to the highest-ranking legal officer of an organization, and hold a title such as deputy general counsel, associate general counsel, managing attorney or general counsel for a division, subsidiary, or region of the organization or serving in the general counsel role for 12 months or less with no prior GC experience.

If the General Counsel seat is part of your trajectory, preparation starts here.

Book a consultation with Pamela Entsminger, Specialist, CLO Engagement.

July 21-24, 2026 | Chicago, Illinois (US)

Over the past thirty years, the role of general counsel in corporations has evolved and expanded dramatically. Today's GC is called upon to lead the company in critical business situations and answer to the government and media in the midst of crises. The GC is often designated as a member of the senior management team while giving independent advice to the board of directors. A successful modern-day GC will possess a higher level of knowledge, soft skills, understanding of complex corporate dynamics and new communications competencies well beyond expertise in black letter law.

Program

Train alongside a world-class faculty of top GCs and corporate leaders.

Venue

The program is hosted at The Gwen, a Luxury Collection hotel in the historic McGraw-Hill building.

Tuition

Tuition fees are due on acceptance.

For the deputy general counsel and those attorneys who want to make that leap to the general counsel position, the ACC Executive Leadership Institute is unparalleled to anything out there. The programming was exceptional; the speakers were great, and you really get a good feel of what a GC goes through every day.

Cristina Gonzalez - ACC ELI Fellow

Chief Legal Officer

Staples, Inc.