This year, ACC will host its annual meeting, "Don't Just Survive. Thrive!" in Boston, with program sessions at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street.
The top-notch educational programs and speakers will present topics of current interest to corporate counsel over four days, Sunday through Wednesday, October 18 to 21. Sunday's session begins at 3 p.m. with registration followed by a welcome reception from 6 to 7 p.m.
Monday's program begins with an Onsite Pro Bono clinic, presented in cooperation with the Pro Bono Institute, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by CLE programs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a reception from 6-7 p.m. Monday's lunchtime presenter, Pulitzer Prize winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin,will discuss leadership development. Tuesday's CLE events also run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. followed by a reception, and on Wednesday the CLE sessions run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. when the meeting ends.
An exhibit hall with representatives of leading product and service providers from around the world will be available throughout the meeting.
Each day topics from various tracks will be presented. Tracks include Chair's Choice, A Changing World, Global Reaches, Meeting Economic Challenges, Career Development, ACC University, Work Force Matters, Updates, Dispute Resolution, In-house Basics, and Contracting Considerations.
Among the specific topics that will be covered are social networking,an interactive ethics session, the reinvigoration of North American Antitrust Enforcement,Ethical issues in Cross Border Discovery, the ins and outs of the 363 sale process and how it compares with ordinary M&A practices, managing a global workforce - a panel discussion about some of the key challenges such as managing global reductions in force and advice on best practices, a roundtable discussion of women in-house attorneys representing a diverse range of seniority levels, industries, and subject matter expertise (presented by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association) and Corporate Sustainability, which covers the challenges that can arise when a company tries to reduce its carbon footprint, the legal issues associated with corporate initiatives to be green, and the steps taken by in-house counsel to reduce associated risks.
Under the Career Development track the Southern California chapter will present a panel discussion of former or part-time in-house counsel who will discuss how to remain marketable in a down cycle and other pursuits or ventures for those considering an alternative career path. They will offer career food for thought, because an unexamined career stifles personal growth and encourages professional boredom.
Scheduled speakers are from various academic institutions, law firms, corporations, and influential organizations. Among them are Andrew Perlman, professor of law at the Suffolk University School of Law; Stacey Sovereign, associate general counsel, Marine Spill Response Corp.; Gretchen Winter, executive director, the Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and Society; Roy Birnbaum, senior legal director, International, Schering-Plough Corp.; Bakari Brock, associate corporate counsel, Google; and Wendy Shiba, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of KB Home.
Vital topics abound, the faculty is impressive, and the networking possibilities are endless.
For more information about the 2009 meeting, contact [email protected] or call 1-202-293-4103, ext. 451, or go to www.acc.com.