In accordance with Harris County recommendations, we invite those who are fully vaccinated to attend in person; please refrain from in-person attendance if you have not been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the FDA. Additionally, the option for in-person attendance is subject to change based on requirements of state and local governments, the venue, and CDC guidance. In-person attendees may be required to follow COVID-19 mitigation procedures established by the venue.
Breakfast and Check-In: 8:00 am - 8:30 am
Session 1: 8:30 - 9:20 am (Hicks Thomas LLP)
Post-Pandemic Litigation: Commercial Disputes in the "End of Days"
Over the past 18 months, businesses have had to respond to a worldwide pandemic and a myriad of natural disasters that are reminiscent of a 1980s apocalypse movie. We will discuss how these calamities have shaped commercial litigation and how courts have responded to a plethora of novel legal issues in different types of commercial disputes. Throughout the presentation we will review ethics considerations for in-house counsel in dealing with these issues. 1.00 Hours CLE TX (Includes .5 Hours Ethics Credit)
Speakers:
Stephen Barrick, Partner, Hicks Thomas LLP
John Deis, Partner, Hicks Thomas LLP
Stephen Loftin, Partner, Hicks Thomas LLP
Session 2: 9:30 - 10:20 am (Bracewell LLP)
Insurance Law! What Popular Culture Can Teach Us About It
This session will help in-house lawyers understand some key concepts of insurance law and the legal aspects of risk management, with illustrations from film and tv clips to highlight these issues. We hope this segment will be fun and informative on issues that are one of the keys to a successful in-house legal department. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speaker:
Vince Morgan, Partner, Bracewell LLP
Session 3: 10:30 - 11:20 am (Exterro)
A Day In the Life of Incident and Data Breach: How to Ensure Global Compliance
Organizations across the globe have experienced incidents and data breaches for the past 10 years. While also seeing an increase in regulatory scrutiny, the public nature of breaches and the emerging private right of action. Yet with all of these dangers, many organizations still treat data breaches as rare events, using ad-hoc processes, on-the-fly communication and cobbled-together toolsets. There is a better way.
What you’ll learn: Real-life lessons of what happens to an organization once an incident occurs; Best practices for optimizing a compliant and defensible response plan; The crucial role general counsel must play in updating your breach response plan; How to maintain privilege and communicate with outside counsel during your response. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speakers:
Rebecca Perry, Dir. Strategic Partnerships, Exterro
Michelle A Reed, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Tim Reboulet, Principal Consultant, SpearTip
Lunch Service and Presentation: 11:45 am - 1:00 pm
Lunch Time Keynote Speaker
Shauna C. Bryce
Founder & Principal of Bryce Legal
Topic: Professional Branding
Break: 1 pm – 1:30 pm
Session 4: 1:30 – 2:20 pm (Wilson Cribbs + Goren)
Tips & Traps in Managing a Corporate Real Estate Portfolio
What to consider before you transact, including lender requirements, status of title, choice of entity, local tax traps, post-closing liability solutions, and local land use issues. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speakers:
Anthony Marre, Managing Partner, Wilson Cribbs + Goren
Derek Pershing, Partner, Wilson Cribbs + Goren
Session 5: 2:30 – 3:20 pm (Norton Rose Fulbright)
Apres Moi le De-SPAC
The huge boom in SPAC initial public offerings over the last year and a half has created a host of SPACs all looking for de-SPAC targets. In this presentation we will discuss the de-SPAC lifecycle and deal process, key pitfalls, and ways to help move the deal to a successful closing. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speakers:
Trevor Pinkerton, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
Rishika Sengupta, Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright
Session 6: 3:30 -4:20 pm (Baker Botts)
IP Issues to Watch as the Ion Accelerates Houston’s Startup Ecosystem
Houston has always had startups; however, interest and support has expanded greatly over the last few years. From companies to universities to angel investors, startups benefit from advice and financial backing. Corporate counsel looking to invest in, contract with, or acquire such startups should be aware of the unique IP issues that often face them. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speakers:
Liz Flannery, Partner, Baker Botts
Natalie Gonzales, Partner, Baker Botts
Tenley Krueger, Assistant General Counsel (IP), Halliburton
Session 7: 4:30 – 5:20 pm (H.S. Grace & Co.)
For Whom the Corporate Governance Bells Toll
The corporate governance bells are tolling for corporate and other organizations. One has only to glance at the business news to note Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, McDonalds, Hertz, Boeing, Credit Suisse, Toshiba and others engaged with complex governance issues. The presenters explain the need to stress test governance structures and examine the viability of the existing checks and balances; they discuss the increased focus on board governance and oversight responsibilities; they explore opportunities to create governance structures with a harder edge, and conclude by sharing governance’s often pivotal role in litigation. They draw on their senior executive and their expert testifying experience, their authorship of governance related articles in peer reviewed legal and business journals and their experience stress testing governance structures. 1.00 Hours CLE TX
Speakers:
Suzanne Gilbert, Board of Advisors, Grace & Co. Consultancy, Inc.
Dr. H. Stephen Grace, Founder & President, H.S. Grace & Co.
Dr. Johnnie Williams, Strategy Professor, Texas Southern University
Evening Reception and Raffle: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Sponsored by: Squire Patton Boggs