Events

According to the 2023 ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey, data security and privacy are among the most pressing issues currently faced by corporate legal departments.  At the same time, e-discovery is taking up an outsized share of litigation expenses, and we are now encountering new generative artificial intelligence that has the potential to reshape the ways companies do business—but that comes with its own set of legal and data concerns.  This program will discuss these challenges—and offer concrete suggestions for how to limit or eliminate some of the greatest legal risks.

Registration:   3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Program:   3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Networking Reception: 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

This program has been preapproved for one hour of PA substantive CLE credit.

This practical program will address legal issues in managing and contracting for software development that uses new software development methodologies, including Agile (including Scrum, Crystal, Extreme Programming (XP), and Feature-Driven Development (FDD)), DevOps, Waterfall and Rapid Application Development (RAD).  We will discuss: (i) the risks for vendors in using those methodologies to develop software for internal products for delivery to customers; and (ii) contractual terms that appropriately allocate responsibilities and risks between vendors that use those methodologies to develop custom software and the customers that purchase or license such software. 

The panel will:

•            Briefly describe each of the new methodologies;

•            Contrast traditional development models and contracting paradigms with those applicable to the new methodologies;

•            Address the growing need to include software security principles both in the design and development process (DevSec) and throughout the operational life cycle of software (DevSecOps); 

•            Discuss the emerging and future role of large language models (LLMs) and other AI/ML tools to be used both in the development of software and as features and functions of software products and services; and

•            Advise on the proper use of open source software and data in software development and deployment.

Presented by Bea Hinton, Senior Associate and Dirk Lasater, Associate at King & Spalding and Kaye Cyrus, Corporate Counsel at HealthEdge.

Moderated by Thomas Knox, Partner, Corporate Technology at King & Spalding.

 Agenda:

12:00 - 12:30 pm - Lunch and networking (in-person)

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Panel Presentation (in-person and via webcast)

1.5 Hours of VA MCLE pending.

Please join us for an insightful discussion and enjoyable opportunity to network with your colleagues from the Bay Area!

After living through the pandemic and so many recent challenges, is it surprising that so many of us are seeking to redefine what “success” looks like and feels like in uniquely personal ways? For more than two decades, Veta Richardson has been helping professionals at all stages of their careers to voice their aspirations and pursue their goals. Her Amazon best-selling book,

Take Six: Essential Habits to Own Your Destiny, Overcome Challenges, and Unlock Opportunities unpacks the lessons shared with the hundreds of people she has mentored over the years. In addition to receiving a complimentary copy of this book through the generosity of our event host, Reed Smith, you’ll receive advice on how to shape and steer your career, inventory your skills, take credit for your achievements, and stand up for your values so that you feel prepared for any challenge―including the challenges of leadership in difficult times.

Speakers:

Veta Richardson, President & CEO, Association of Corporate Counsel

Agenda:

6:00 pm – Registration, Networking

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Roundtable

7:30 pm – 8:00 pm- Book Signing / Reception

Please join us for a full-day, in-person conference that will address the key issues a new general counsel or small law department lawyer will face in their role. Learn to uncover and tackle challenges within a variety of subject areas so you can be successful within your department and your company.

The In-House Primer will give in-house counsel an opportunity to attend six CLE sessions and hear from subject matter experts. Learn what you need to know and when to call outside assistance. In addition, at the end of the day we will host a Happy Hour on the terrace of the Westwood Country Club.  You will be able to meet the panelists and network with colleagues.  

SCHEDULE  

9:00 - 10:00 am:  Sustainability for Government Contractors
Sponsored by Blank Rome

10:15 - 11:15 am: Life as a Public Company:  Overview of Requirements, New SEC Rules / Actions, and What to Expect Next
Sponsored by Polsinelli

11:30 am - 12:30 pm:  Hybrid, In-Person, and Remote Work: Optimizing Real Estate and Employment Strategies for Employers 
Sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson

1:30 - 2:30 pm:  State Attorneys General: What You Need to Know 
Sponsored by Akin

2:45 - 3:45 pm: Managing Regulatory Risk in M&A Transactions: Update 2023
Sponsored by Lowenstein Sandler

4:00 - 5:00 pm: Conversations with the Board and Board Management
Sponsored by WilmerHale

5:00 - 6:30 pm:  Happy Hour and Networking

(We invite you to register and attend just the Happy Hour,  if that is all your schedule will allow!)

For a full Agenda including session summaries click HERE.

6.0 Hours of VA MCLE credit approved.

We look forward to seeing you at the In-House Primer.

(This conference is free for members; there is a $75 charge for non-members.)

Please join us for a substantive panel discussion about the key employee leave issues that employers need to understand to successfully navigate their employee relationships in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Because a wide range of laws govern workplace leaves for reasons from personal and family illness, pregnancy, and disability, to reasons like organ donation, crime-victim status, and military service, employers face significant challenges in managing leave issues. It is therefore critical that employers stay up to date on all applicable leave laws and ensure that their policies properly address these issues.

In this webinar, our panel will discuss requirements for employers under federal and state leave laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state parental leave, sick and safe leave, and similar leave laws. Our discussion will focus on new leave laws and interesting cases impacting employee leave in the DMV, and address practical implications of these new laws and how employers might adjust their policies to meet these requirements. 

Presented by Tony Torain and Jack Blum, Shareholders at Polsinelli and Hannah Breshin-Otero, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel - Labor and Employment at CACI International Inc.

Agenda:

12:00 - 12:30 pm:  Lunch and Networking (in-person only)

12:30 - 2:00 pm:  Panel Presentation (in-person and via webcast)

1.5 Hours of VA MCLE pending.

Agenda

8:00 a.m.
Registration/Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Welcome/Opening Remarks
Mike O’Callaghan, Columbus Office Managing Partner, Shumaker  

8:35—9:20 a.m.
PANEL 1: Non-Compete in the Workplace: Examining Recent Trends and Planning for the Future

Non-compete agreements provide a critical resource to protect the intellectual property and customer relationships that a company develops at great time and expense. However, the landscape for non-compete agreements is subject to increasing legislative and judicial scrutiny, including proposed rules from the Federal Trade Commission imposing a nationwide ban on non-compete agreements and a growing trend of states that have increased their scrutiny on the enforcement of non-compete agreements. This panel will discuss several recent non-compete matters in State and Federal Court and address how to a take a proactive approach to deal with this uncertainty.
PANELISTS: Nicholas Stack, Partner, Shumaker; Rebecca Shope, Partner, Shumaker; Outside Counsel TBD
MODERATOR: Greg Wagoner, Partner, Shumaker

9:20 a.m.
Break

9:30—10:45 a.m.
PANEL 2: Instituting an Early Dispute Resolution Program to Slash Costs and Achieve Favorable Settlements

Businesses maximize profit and save valuable executive time when they resolve cases early, economically, and on a favorable basis. Until recently, there has been no accepted procedure that overcomes the obstacles to early resolution: lack of information, lack of trust, and the bias of each party seeing its own side of the case. The Early Dispute Resolution Institute has developed Protocols for early resolution that resolve these issues and that the Institute and AAA are training lawyers, neutrals, and judges in nationwide. The Protocols are tried, tested, and effective. This session will explain the Protocols and how to institute a corporate early dispute program.
PANEL: Mediator Anne Jordan, Mandell Menkes, LLC
MODERATOR: Peter Silverman, Partner, Shumaker

10:45 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
PANEL 3: Insurance Recovery
Many companies pay millions of dollars in insurance premiums annually but find themselves "in the rough" when attempting to recover under the policies they have purchased. This presentation will cover best practices for using every club in your bag to maximize your insurance coverage as a corporate asset -- from the presentation of claims to your insurer to negotiating coverage positions and achieving favorable outcomes in insurance disputes. These best practices will be generally applicable across all coverages that may form the basis of your risk management program, including directors and officers (D&O) coverage, general liability, and property policies.
PANELISTS: Shumaker Partner; Keven Eiber, Senior Litigation Counsel, Stanley Black & Decker; Lori Siwik, Founder, Managing Partner, and Counsel, Sand Run Risk
MODERATOR: Shumaker Partner

12:00 p.m.
Lunch/Memorial Golf Tournament (Tickets for the Tournament are limited to 40 and on a first-come, first-serve basis.)  

Antitrust is a hot topic right now with daily headlines about the tech giants — Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google — but the Biden Administration’s prosecutorial zeal doesn’t stop there. Nonprofits are facing some sleeper antitrust issues and in house counsel should be aware of the latest developments.

This CLE session will cover the antitrust basics and provide practical guidance for how a non-profit generalist should deal with a range of day-to-day issues. We will discuss some of the questions you may have about your organization’s antitrust risk, including:

· Do you need an antitrust policy?

· Should antitrust considerations impact member communications in a trade association?

· Board meetings – when (and how) to stop a conversation before it skirts the line

· Competitor collaboration business planning – what are best practices?

· The Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division recently rescinded its guidance on information sharing among competitors. Can I still participate in wage surveys?

· Do the antitrust laws impact my organization’s ability to take a stand on social issues like ESG? How can we influence policy outcomes as an industry without crossing the line?

· Does your organizational insurance policy sufficiently cover your risk? Which policies respond to antitrust claims? What is the underwriter appetite, and key underwriting questions I should be asking?

Presented by Joe Miller, Member and Co-Chair of the Antitrust Practice at Mintz and Keith Mulvihill, Insurance, Risk Management, and Employee Benefits Advisor at Lockton and Mondi Kumbula-Fraser, VP of Government Relations, General Counsel at Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area

Agenda:

4:00 - 5:30 - Panel Presentation in-person and via webcast

5:30-6:30 - In-Person Happy Hour and Networking

1.5 Hours of VA MCLE pending.

Please join us for the ACC NCR: Black & African-American Affinity Group meet and greet.  We look forward to the opportunity to connect with friends, old and new.  All members are welcome to attend. 

We hope you can make it for this special event. 

*All attendees are required to comply with ACC NCR's COVID-19 Duty of Care.

Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCIs) are one of the many areas that make doing business with the federal government different from commercial contracting.  Government contractors must be able to identify, avoid, and mitigate OCIs to ensure that they are not shut out of new opportunities, or worse, prohibited from performing contracts that they’ve won. To do that, it’s important to understand the changing landscape of regulations, caselaw, and legislation related to OCIs.  

This discussion will provide perspectives from in-house counsel, government agency counsel, and outside counsel on topics such as:

1.  Recent legislation mandating new OCI regulations and what those regulations might entail;

2.  Decisions from courts and the Government Accountability Office on what constitutes an OCI and whether and how OCIs can be mitigated; 

3.  Common mistakes for contractors to avoid; and

4.  Tips for contractors to avoid and mitigate OCIs in current and future government contracts.

Presented by Tracye Winfrey Howard, Partner at Wiley, Benjamin Willcher, Legal Counsel/OCI Manager at Elevance Health and Victoria Heiden Kauffman, Deputy Associate General Counsel (Contracts) at NASA.

1.5 Hours of VA MCLE pending.

You are invited to our first discussion to kick off our Accessibility Affinity Group. Join us to share experiences, allyship, ideas, and issues affecting legal professionals with visible and invisible disabilities and their allies.  

During this meeting we will come together to introduce ourselves, connect, discuss ideas, and determine interest in kicking off this new affinity group. 

All registrants will be invited to order a beverage and a snack to enjoy during the meeting. Please register to receive the link to order.