The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the world's largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations, nonprofits and other private-sector organizations around the globe.
Don’t just attend the Legal Operations Conference this year—conquer it with a focused strategy for professional growth and employer accountability. This session covers how to navigate the Chicago schedule to find the most relevant sessions while mastering the art of purposeful networking. We are also introducing an exclusive worksheet designed to help you document actionable results, making it easy to prove the value of your attendance to your organization. Whether you’re a first-timer or a veteran, come learn how to turn conference inspiration into a measurable post-event breakthrough.
ACC is pleased to host this webinar featuring three distinguished former federal judges from the Article III Coalition, a non-partisan civic education initiative of Keep Our Republic. The Coalition—composed of 52 former U.S. District and Circuit Court judges appointed in equal measure by Republican and Democratic presidents—is dedicated to strengthening public understanding of the rule of law and the essential role of an independent judiciary.
This session will explore why judicial independence is critical not only to American democracy, but also to the stability and predictability of our economy—and therefore central to the work of in-house counsel as they navigate risk, compliance, and long-term business planning. The judges joining us are:
Judge Robert Cindrich, a former U.S. District Judge appointed by President Clinton, who brings a distinctive blend of judicial, corporate, and government experience, having served as General Counsel of U.S. Steel and UPMC and on the boards of Mylan and Allscripts Healthcare.
Judge Allyson Duncan, appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, who previously served as a law professor, law firm partner, Chief of Staff of the EEOC, the first African American President of the North Carolina Bar Association, and a North Carolina state court judge.
Judge Deanell Reece Tacha, appointed by President Reagan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and later serving as its Chief Judge, who also served as Vice Chancellor and Professor of Law at the University of Kansas and as Dean of Pepperdine Law, and is a recipient of both the Devitt Award and the ABA John Marshall Award for distinguished service.
The judges will discuss the real-world consequences for businesses when court orders are ignored, when the rule of law is weakened, or when judges face intimidation or coercion—and why these issues should matter deeply to every legal department. The discussion will be moderated by Justin Connor, Director of Global Chief Legal Officer Engagement, ACC.
A sweeping overhaul of India’s employment law landscape is underway, with immediate relevance for U.S. multinationals and their India operations. The November 2025 rollout represents a major regulatory inflection point, while generating substantial uncertainty. Media coverage has been uneven, state-level timelines vary, and many organizations are still assessing what compliance actually requires in practice.
This session will cut through the noise and focus on what matters most for corporate legal teams:
Understanding India’s four Labor Codes now in force, bringing together 29 legacy labor statutes into a single, modernized compliance framework.
What implementation really looks like on the ground: Including HR process redesign, documentation updates, compliance audits, and dispute-management mechanics under the new regime.
Operational and financial impacts for employers, from payroll restructuring and social security contributions to contractor oversight, workforce planning, and risk allocation.
The transition support organizations will need, particularly multi-state employers, and companies relying heavily on contractors, staffing vendors, or gig-economy platforms.
How to navigate the interim period while state rules remain in flux, and what uneven or staggered adoption means for legal exposure and compliance strategy.
Our objective to provide clear and actionable guidance so India operations can move through this transition with minimal disruption.
Middle-market M&A continues to evolve, and with it the deal terms that shape risk allocation, valuation outcomes, and negotiating leverage. This webcast offers a concise, practical look at what’s truly “market” today, drawing on analysis of middle market private target acquisition agreements signed in 2025 and supplemented by data and insights from Seyfarth’s most recent Middle Market M&A SurveyBook.
Presenters Daniel Schloesser, Vice President, Legal - Mergers & Acquisitions with Optimum, and Andrew Lucano, Corporate Department Chair, and Aaron Gillett, M&A Vice Chair, with Seyfarth will unpack the core indemnity package as well as other deal terms, including escrows, caps, baskets, survival, fraud carve-outs, governing law, and earnouts—and discuss how these provisions are evolving across insured and non-insured deals.
The session will help attendees understand where buyer and seller leverage is trending and what these shifts mean for upcoming transactions.
Attendees will walk away with:
A data-backed view of today’s prevailing middle-market deal terms.
Practical insights into buyer-seller leverage and the growing influence of R&W insurance on risk allocation.
A forward-looking perspective on 2026 dealmaking.
Cost
This live program offers free CLE in limited jurisdictions for members of ACC. See the additional information tag on the registration page for more details.
Attention New England Law students! Looking to understand the world of in-house legal careers? Then please join the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Northeast Chapter for a round-table discussion exclusively for New England students. New England Law | Boston is proud to welcome back several alums who will share insights into their in-house career paths, highlight effective networking strategies, and provide practical advice for law students aiming to kick-start their career search.
This Years Program will introduce small group discussions designed to foster meaningful networking and candid conversations with our panelists about life after law school and careers In-house. We hope you can join us!
Join Jackson Lewis P.C. attorney Amy Peck for a Wisdom of the Crowd discussion to leverage collective insight and provide real‑time guidance on navigating ICE enforcement actions and understanding related legal rights. This interactive program will address increased enforcement activity and offer tips on ways to address government workplace visits and minimize anxiety.
Join your ACC colleagues and the attorneys from Womble Bond Dickinson for a cool cooking experience learning how to make aphrodisiac treats and desserts for your favorite person on Valentine's Day or any day!
We will be enjoying some snacks and beer, wine and soft drinks while we are preparing lots of delectable eats!
And, if you don't want to cook, we are happy to have you join us in a supervisory, hands off, just here to catch up with everyone, role!!
