KEYNOTE SPEAKER | GENERAL SESSION
Cara Hale Alter
Founder & President | SpeechSkills 
2026 In-House Counsel Day | General Session Keynote Address
Thursday, May 7 | 4:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. The Power of Visible CredibilityFor in-house counsel, credibility is currency. While legal expertise is essential, how that expertise is communicated often determines whether your advice is trusted, acted upon, or overlooked. Drawing from her book The Credibility Code, communication expert Cara Hale Alter outlines and demonstrates the keystone behaviors of “Visible Credibility”—the body language, vocal cues, and mannerisms that most influence the perception of confidence, competence, and trustworthiness. We'll examine how to: - Project gravitas, both in-person and in virtual settings
- Recognize and prevent the “tells” of nervousness and intimidation
- Strike a balance between authority and approachability
- Maintain composure under pressure
- Avoid unintentional behaviors that may undermine status or confidence
Attendees will additionally receive one year of access to the SpeechSkills Credibility Essentials online program to support continued self-directed practice and habit reinforcement. Register for ACC Colorado's IHCF 2026 and join in as the keynote delivers a presentation focused on the unique leadership presence and communication challenges facing career in-house counsel! You will reconnect with your ACC in-house counsel network, generous sponsors, and legal intern placement officers, for a jampacked afternoon of CLE education, serious networking, and a hosted reception! REGISTER!
Four (4) General CLE Credits PENDING.
Beverages, Light Snacks, Happy Hour Included. Lunch not provided. ACC Member Price - $50
Member rate extended to ACC corporate member paralegals and contract managers.
Four (4) General CLE Credits Approved.
~
Non-Member Price - $75
Not an ACC Member?
Join Today! Renew Today! Four (4) CLE Credits Pending.
Beverages, Snacks, Happy Hour Included
Lunch is not served. SOCIAL SUMMIT BEVERAGE SPONSOR 
| 1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M. – 2 Sessions (1 CLE Credit)
2:00 P.M. – 2:50 P.M. – 2 Sessions (1 CLE Credit)
3:00 P.M. – 3:50 P.M. – 2 Sessions (1 CLE Credit)
~
4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. – General Session (1 CLE Credit)
5:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. – Social Summit/Networking*
_______
Considering hiring Legal Interns?
Questions about working with law students or
recent graduates?
Representatives from local law schools will be on hand
at IHCF to share information and answer questions! |
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM – 2 Sessions ALPINE 1-3 | ALPINE 4 |
|---|
Choosing the Right Path:
A Corporate Counsel Guide to Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation, and Creative ADR Tools
This presentation will compare the forums of: Presenter:
Allison Burke, Partner, Taft | 
IP, IT, and Data in M&A Deals:
Key Issues for Buyers and Sellers IP, IT, and data assets increasingly drive both value and risk in M&A transactions, and the issues that matter most often differ depending on whether you are on the buy side or the sell side. This session will provide a practical overview of the key areas that routinely shape diligence and negotiations, including IP ownership and licensing, data use and privacy considerations, cybersecurity exposures, and dependencies on SaaS and other third party technologies. We will also touch on emerging issues such as AI and software development, and how they influence risk allocation and post closing integration. In this presentation, attendees will learn:
• How IP, IT, and data privacy risks differ for buyers and sellers, and what each side should prioritize
• Common pitfalls involving licenses, data rights, cybersecurity, and open source software
• Practical steps in house counsel can take to identify issues early and manage risk throughout the deal Presenters:
Peter Kinsella, Perkins Coie Partner
Sean Belding, Perkins Coie Counsel |
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM – 2 Sessions 
Managing Outside Counsel Relationships: What In-House Counsel Expect (and What Actually Works) Thomson Reuters recently reported that the greatest area for improvement in the relationship in-house attorneys have with their law firms centers on “value,” which accounted for 29 percent of criticisms heard from survey participants. Another 23 percent cited concerns about the quality of work from outside counsel, and the top two concerns tied to “service” had to do with responsiveness and communication. This panel discussion will explore best practices in-house counsel can leverage to capture maximum value in their relationship with outside law firms – a dynamic that has room for improvement, according to a recent Thomson Reuters report. Join us as panelists share candid, real world perspectives on what makes an outside counsel relationship effective, efficient, and worth the investment. The conversation will focus on practical strategies that help in house counsel get the right legal support while maintaining control over budget, risk, and business outcomes. Presenters:
Robin Nolan, Partner, Spencer Fane
Julie Stencel, Assistant General Counsel, Xcel Energy |  NDAs in Practice: Considerations to Keep in Mind when Negotiating and Litigating NDAs Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are critical tools for protecting confidential information, but effectiveness depends heavily on precise drafting and clear definitions of what constitutes “confidential” material. When negotiating NDAs, parties must consider scope, duration, permitted disclosures, and jurisdictional enforceability to avoid overly broad or unenforceable provisions. In litigation, courts often scrutinize reasonableness and actual harm, making it essential that NDAs are both narrowly tailored and supported by legitimate business interests.
Presenter:
Laura Sturges, Of Counsel, Gibson Dunn |
3:00 PM – 3:50 PM – 2 Sessions 
AI Governance for Legal Departments:
Managing Risk, Ethics, and Colorado’s Emerging AI Regulation
Artificial intelligence tools are rapidly being deployed across legal departments and enterprise functions. In-house counsel must now evaluate not only efficiency gains, but confidentiality risks, privilege exposure, vendor liability, and compliance with emerging state regulation — including Colorado’s Artificial Intelligence Act. This session provides a practical governance framework for overseeing AI use internally and by outside counsel. In this presentation, attendees will learn:
• Where AI can safely enhance legal workflows — and where human judgment remains critical
• Ethical duties of competence, supervision, and confidentiality in AI-enabled practice
• How Colorado’s AI regulatory framework impacts enterprise risk assessment
• Contractual protections to consider in AI vendor and outside counsel agreements
• A governance checklist for implementing AI responsibly in 2026
Presenters: Lindsey Schultz, Senior Managing Counsel & Head of Program, Governance & Policy, Visa Global Privacy Office
George Ngengwe, Partner, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
Camila Tobon, Partner, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP | 
Second to None:
Colorado’s Quest to Lead the Pack in Employment Regulation Explore the top issues facing employers in the rapidly developing Colorado legal landscape including: - Wage enforcement actions
- Bonus and commission plans
- Class actions sparking from common employee agreements
Presenters:
Susanne Mombelli, Of Counsel, Ogletree Deakins
Kaitlin Spittell, Associate, Ogletree Deakins
Tyler Strobel, Associate, Ogletree Deakins
David Zwisler, Shareholder, Ogletree Deakins |
KEYNOTE SPEAKER | GENERAL SESSION
Cara Hale Alter | Founder & President 
Cara Hale Alter deeply understands how nonverbal communication shapes the perception of leadership presence. On stage, she’s an energetic, warm, and compelling presenter, having won numerous national awards for public speaking. As the founder of SpeechSkills, Cara has provided training to some of the world’s best-known companies, including Google, PayPal, Pixar, Pinterest, Kaiser, Schwab, Caterpillar, and Facebook. A guest lecturer at UC Berkeley, Harvard, Stanford, and UC Hastings College of Law, Cara has also worked with numerous top-100 law firms. She is a frequent media resource, appearing in Forbes.com, The Globe and Mail, USA Today, and countless other media outlets. A past board member of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners), Cara has had the pleasure of speaking at more than 500 conferences in 20 different countries. ____ 
Immediately Following | Hosted Reception & Networking5:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Hosted Reception & Networking |
