Events

In the modern economy, employees change jobs with increasing frequency, creating continuing challenges for employers in protecting their trade secrets and client relationships and ensuring workforce continuity and the retention of institutional knowledge.  Compounding this challenge, the contractual tools available to employers to address employee mobility issues are under ever-increasing scrutiny by federal and state governments.  This program will review the latest developments in the legal landscape for enforcing non-compete, non-solicit, and other restrictive covenants as well as protecting trade secrets, and will also examine the newly-emerging trend that is limiting the ability of employers to use so-called “stay-or-pay” agreements to incentivize employee retention.

Presented by Jack Blum, Shareholder at Polsinelli, along with Patricia Donkor, Senior Corporate Counsel at Steampunk, Inc. 

1.5 Hours of VA MCLE pending

Let the fun begin! March Madness NCAA Brackets are now open and must be completed before games start on March 19/20. Register now for the men's and women's bracket links - prizes awarded to top predictors in each tournament!

Open to current ACC Oregon Members, family and friends. Bracket links provided in your registration confirmation email.

You are invited to attend our April CLE- in-person at Paesanos Lincoln Heights or via Zoom. Our friends at Chamberlain Hrdlicka are bringing us a presentation entitled ''Anticipatory Compliance: Employee Benefits Issue Spotting for In-House Counsel".

Employee benefit plans present some of the most complex legal issues facing corporations today. This presentation guides in-house counsel through three real-world hypothetical scenarios designed to sharpen issue-spotting skills and build practical frameworks for managing employee benefit risk. The three scenarios examine a 401(k) plan compliance failure, an IRS penalty arising from an Affordable Care Act employer shared responsibility issue, and the design of a nonqualified deferred compensation arrangement for a senior executive. Each scenario explores the legal, tax, and ethical considerations in-house counsel must navigate to maintain compliance.

Please feel free to pass this invitation on to other individuals within in your organization who would like to learn more about this topic!  

Join ACC Western PA at Rivers Casino for a day of learning and networking. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just entering the league, this event is designed to help you sharpen your playbook and strengthen your team.

We are pleased to offer six CLE programming hours, presented in partnership with our 2026 Bootcamp sponsors: Babst Calland; Cozen O'Connor; Duane Morris; Fisher Phillips; Fox Rothschild; McGuireWoods; Ogletree Deakins; and Porter Wright.

Following the day’s programming, we invite you to stay for a networking reception where you can continue conversations, build new relationships, and unwind with colleagues from across the region.  

Event Schedule

Registration and Breakfast - 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

     Donation drop offs accepted for Dress For Success.

Program - 8:45 a.m. - 12:05 p.m.

Lunch - 12:05 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.

Program - 1:10 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Networking Reception immediately following the program.

This program has been pre-approved for five hours of PA substantive CLE credit and one hour of PA ethics credit.

Community Outreach: ACC Western PA invites our members and all attendees to join us in supporting Dress For Success Pittsburgh in their mission to empower women who are entering and returning to the workforce across the region.

Most requested items this year are black pants, handbags, fashion scarves/head coverings, jewelry, umbrellas, belts and new or gently used closed-toe shoes.  You may drop off your donations at the registration table on the day of the program or contribute financially directly to the Dress For Success Pittsburgh organization or by purchasing much needed items off their Amazon wish list. 

Photography Permission: Your registration and attendance at this event indicates your consent to be photographed and/or filmed and your consent to the use of your image, without payment of any kind, for use in program(s) and for other promotional/editorial activities of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Western Pennsylvania and for future use in any and all media, now known or hereafter created.

Join ACC St Louis and GC AI CEO Cecilia Ziniti for a high-energy session designed specifically for St. Louis ACC members!

AI makes you more efficient across all of your legal work, including contracts, compliance, research, and communications. By learning legal AI skills, you can work faster and become the go-to AI expert on your team.

Join us for a hands-on session with Cecilia Ziniti, a 3x General Counsel and founder of GC AI. Cecilia will provide practical training on AI, with tips and examples tailored for legal professionals. You'll get an overview of how AI works, then get real-time practice to help you start using AI today.

In this interactive session, you'll learn how to:

• Improve your AI prompting with no prior experience needed
• Become your team's AI resource with skills that set you apart
• Use proven prompting strategies that deliver expert-level results every time
• Build AI into your daily workflow without adding more to your plate

Whether you're just starting with AI or already a pro, you'll leave with new skills to help you work faster and more efficiently.

Date:  Tuesday, March 31st

CLE Value:
1.0 Hours CLE Missouri

Location:
Forest Park Golf Course
6141 Lagoon Drive
St Louis, MO   63108

Schedule:
11:30 - 12:00 pm - Networking, check-in and Lunch served.
12:00 - 1:00 pm - Program

We look forward to seeing you IN PERSON on Tuesday, March 31st! 

Join Sandberg Phoenix for the ACC STL CLE:  Do the Elimination of Bias Boogie in 2026 lunch on Thursday, April 30th at the The Key STL!

Learn the Steps: Understanding Implicit and Explicit Bias — Whether you're advising a board, negotiating a deal, or managing outside counsel, unconscious biases shape our perceptions, judgments, and decision-making every day. 

We'll break down the different types of bias — from confirmation bias to anchoring — and why recognizing them is the first move on the dance floor toward better legal practice.

Speakers:
Bhavik Patel, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Executive Committee, Sandberg Phoenix
Jennifer Denny, Counsel, Sandberg Phoenix

Time:

4:30 - 5:00 - CLE Check-In, Networking & Open Bar & Snacks
5:00 - 6:00 - CLE Presentation
6:00 - 7:00 - Networking, Heavy Appetizers, Open Bar, Desserts & prize drawings

Location:

The Key STL
The Boogie Room
3225 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO   63103

Speakers:
Bhavik Patel, CEO, Sandberg Phoenix
Narcisa Przulj, Shareholder, Sandberg Phoenix
Jennifer Denny, Counsel, Sandberg Phoenix
Christopher Lee, Counsel, Sandberg Phoenix

CLE Value:
1.0 Hours Ethics & Elimination of Bias CLE Missouri

We look forward to seeing you IN-PERSON on Thursday, April 30th at The Key STL. 

Earn Ethics CLE credit if you join us on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Pittsburgh Blue in Edina, for lunch and this panel discussion.

When Legal Meets Business

Join the panel for an engaging CLE program focused on the ethical challenges unique to in-house counsel who often operate at the intersection of legal advice and business strategy. This session will explore the professional responsibilities that arise when legal and business considerations overlap, including issues involving confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, and the risk that legal advice may be intertwined with business guidance. Panelists will review relevant ABA Model Rules and other guidance while examining winter holiday-themed scenarios. Ethical topics will include internal communications, conflicts, competence, data privacy and AI. Using a conversational and interactive format, the session will offer practical strategies for recognizing and addressing ethical boundaries while remaining effective business partners.

PANELISTS

• Helena Ledic, Associate General Counsel, CSC (Moderator)
• Mark Privratsky, Vice President & Corporate Counsel, Prudential Financial
• Sarah Sederstrom, Associate General Counsel, Fortra
• Karin Simonson, Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Envoy Medical

AGENDA

11:30 AM - 11:45 AM | Check-in

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM | Plated lunch

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | CLE program

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Networking

Admission is free and open to ACC members and to in-house counsel first-time guests. 1.0 Ethics CLE credit is pending in Minnesota.

Convenient free parking abounds in the adjacent lots and ramp.

Thanks to our sponsor, CSC!

Inaugural Headshots & Happy Hour

Join the ACC Arizona Chapter for our first-ever Headshots & Happy Hour at the beautiful El Chorro – Lower Patio, generously sponsored by Spencer Fane.

This relaxed networking event is a great opportunity to connect with fellow in-house counsel while updating your professional image. A professional photographer will be on-site to capture complimentary headshots for attendees—perfect for LinkedIn, company profiles, and other professional uses.

Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while mingling with colleagues and taking advantage of this convenient opportunity to refresh your headshot in a fun, social setting.

We hope you’ll join us for this new chapter event combining networking, professional development, and a great Arizona evening at one of the Valley’s iconic venues.

Event Details
📍 El Chorro – Lower Patio
📅 Thursday, April 23, 2026
⏰ 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

🍸 Cocktails & hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

This event is exclusively for ACC Arizona Chapter members.

Please register no later than April 17, 2026

Questions?
Please contact Cathy Bookout, c.bookout@accglobal.com