Wednesday, September 20, 2023

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Registration

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Day One Keynote - Embrace Your Zone of Genius: Moving Forward with Intention & Integrity in Uncertain Times

You have a Zone of Genius. Your Zone of Genius isn't merely a skill you learned or a talent you possess. It encompasses the unique culmination of your life journey including your background, education, and experiences. The result is there are things you do uniquely and effortlessly that ONLY you do in the exact way you do them. Effortlessness is the key to where your Zone of Genius lives. Because it is effortless, you may not realize when you are operating in your genius zone, but you should. As the world becomes increasingly uncertain, embracing your Zone of Genius will help you move forward with intention and integrity as a leader.

Lakeshia Ekeigwe
International Leadership Coach & Consultant, CEO & Founder of LeaderThinking

Lakeshia Ekeigwe, CEO - LeaderThinking

Changing Landscape Of Legal

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM

Adapting to Shifting State Privacy Laws: Creating Synergies within Your Data Protection Program

With many states in the process of implementing new privacy laws and upcoming regulation enforcement on the horizon, many GCs are looking for guidance on how to plan ahead for these changes and grappling with how to stay compliant. Depending on the size of your organization, there are multiple factors that are of concern, including the cost of compliance and how to implement it. Attend this session to stay informed of what’s to come and be prepared to navigate the most recent data privacy law changes.

Dan Nirdlinger, Cybersecurity and Privacy Counsel - SAP Americas Inc. - SAP Americas, Inc.
Devi Mehta, Associate General Counsel - Data Privacy - Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Shaina Varia, Assistant General Counsel, Privacy, Technology, and Cybersecurity - Shaina Varia
Michelle Reed, Partner - Akin

Supported by: Akin

What's on the Horizon?

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM

When the Government Comes Knocking: How to Handle Enforcement & Investigations

In an increasingly aggressive regulatory environment, making sure you are up to date on enforcement trends can be pivotal to minimizing regulatory risk. Join this session and hear from our speakers who will share key insights into enforcement trends across agencies, as well as concrete takeaways on how to build a solid foundation with regulators that will safe-guard your organization against regulatory risk.

Jay Dewald, Partner - Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Tonya Holt, General Counsel - G2 Secure Staff, LLC
Kelly Vickers, Associate General Counsel - Litigation - Kimberly-Clark
LaToyia Pierce, VP Legal Affairs & General Counsel - FirstService Residential, Inc.

Supported by: Norton Rose

11:05 AM - 11:35 AM | Morning Networking Break

Changing Landscape Of Legal

11:35 AM - 12:35 PM

Labor & Employment Spotlight: Navigating the New Compliance Landscape

With a myriad of new and amended labor & employment laws going into effect on both a national as well as state and local level, employers need to be aware of the many nuances of the changing regulation as well as significant considerations due to the potential shifting political climate. Join this session to discover the laws your business may be subject to and discuss ways GCs can minimize the likelihood of costly fines and potential lawsuits down the road. Our expert panelists will share best practices for in-house counsel to deal with the patchwork of rules in different places and across jurisdictions, including the changing landscapes due to pay equity, remote workforce, and the residual effects on policies.

Kwame Satchell, Managing Counsel, Labor & Employment - Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Lulu Seikaly, Sr. Corporate Employment Counsel - Payscale
Punam Kaji, Senior Legal Couns - Fidelity Investments
Tracee Thomas, Assistant General Counsel, Global Lead HR & EHS - Incora
Fred Gaona, Partner - Frost Brown Todd

Supported by: Frost Brown Todd

What's on the Horizon?

11:35 AM - 12:35 PM

The New Era of Legal: Leveraging Generative AI and ChatGPT to Enhance Legal Services

Generative AI has recently taken the legal world by storm and with its capabilities and sophistication advancing at a rapid pace, many are wondering how this powerful tool can be applied to the legal profession. While it promises to streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and develop new products, services and content, important legal considerations should be taken into account prior to using these tools. Join this session as our panel of experts explores how legal departments can utilize generative AI and ChatGPT, highlight the risks and develop strategies to implement such technology.

Alison Bain-Lucey, Managing Counsel - McKinsey & Company, Inc.
Ashley Moore, Office Managing Partner - Michelman & Robinson
Michael Holmes, CEO - Platinum Intelligent Data Solutions
Jeff Tinker, VP Legal - Shiftsmart, Inc.
Tom Hilbun, Assistant General Counsel - IP - Conduent Business Services, LLC

Supported by: Michelman & Robinson

  Lunch Roundtable Discussions

Changing Landscape Of Legal

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Changes in M&A Activity: How Legal Teams Should Prepare & Respond

The volatile equity markets, rising interest rates, and economic uncertainty have weighed heavily on M&A activity, causing a reduction in 2022. With the escalation of inflation and geopolitical turmoil stemming from the war in Ukraine, a sharp turnaround for M&A activity is not expected in the near-term future. In this session, expert panelists will take a look ahead at the key strategic trends expected to impact the overall M&A environment and will explore key considerations every in-house counsel must evaluate when navigating the risks associated with M&A.

David Rose, General Counsel - ProPath
Quintin Cassady, General Counsel - Modern Meadow, Inc.
Tabitha Bailey, Chief Legal Officer - Avantax, Inc.
Kellie Bobo, Partner - Haynes and Boone LLP

Supported by: Haynes & Boone

What's on the Horizon?

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Evolution of Ransomware & Cyber Attacks: How to Avoid the Crosshairs

Cybersecurity breaches, ransomware attacks, and deep fakes remain at the forefront of in-house counsel minds, and a major concern for companies has become the insurance needed to be equipped for these rising threats from around the globe. Understanding the risks specific to your business, managing costs, and staying informed on changing policies is vital to keeping your company ahead of the curve. This session will address strategic ways to approach cybersecurity issues, the regulatory implications, and insurance coverage structures that will protect your organization moving forward.

Kelce Wilson, General Counsel of the North Texas Chapter - InfraGard
David Roberts, General Counsel - Cheatham Roberts Consulting
Niya McCray, Privacy & Compliance, Corporate Counsel - AMN Healthcare
Dwayne Barrs, Partner - Nelson Mullins

Supported by: Nelson Mullins

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM | Afternoon Plenary: Increased Expectations: Managing Ethics & Reputational Risk through Turbulence

Taking the right stance in today’s society is a challenge for organizations, especially given the current political and social environment. In this session, learn how to navigate important societal issues and understand which policies and procedures should be implemented in order to act as an ethically sound organization. To avoid any reputational damage, it is pertinent for GCs to take the right approach and not waiver on any ethical issues.

Julie Glasser, VP, Corporate Law - Sangamo Therapeutics
Tim Cheatham, EVP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, Chief Compliance Officer - Michaels Stores Inc.
Heather Nevitt, Editor in Chief, Corporate Counsel and Global Leaders in Law - ALM



4:15 PM - 5:15 PM | Networking Reception

5:15 PM - | Close of Day One

Thursday, September 21, 2023

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Registration

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Day Two Keynote - Teaming Up Against Burnout: Building a Culture of Resilience

The new future of work is upon us, and leaders and teams face many uncertainties and unanswered questions. In this time of unprecedented change, legal leaders must prioritize workplace resilience and begin to proactively design workplace environments to prevent employee burnout and increase motivation.

Paula Davis is a globally recognized thought leader, author and expert in workplace resilience and burnout prevention. Join this lively session as she shares pragmatic (and research-based) action steps to proactively bring this type of culture to life.

   Paula Davis
   Founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute

Increasing Expectations

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM

How Many Fires are Too Many Fires? Future Proofing Your Organization to Avoid Crisis after Crisis

As a present-day legal leader, it may feel like you are facing one crisis after another and while you have become adept at handling these situations, it’s important for GCs to take a proactive approach to prevent future crises rather than believing their value lies in the quality of their response to the crisis. This panel will focus on strategies leaders should implement to help their teams get ahead of the crisis, minimize its impact and avoid it as much as possible overall. While you can't always predict what's coming around the corner for your organization, you will walk away from this session with tools that help leaders shift to rewarding efforts in preparing for and minimizing future crises.

Earamichia Brown, Snr. Corp. Counsel, Compliance - Match Group
Earnest DeLoach, VP Legal - Balfour Beatty Construction LLC
Steven Goldberg, Chief Executive Officer - August LLC
Chelsea Grayson, Former CEO & Board Member, Apparel, True Religion & Spark Networks - American Apparel, True Religion, Spark Networks

Supported by: August

Visible Leadership

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM

Datafying Your ESG Initiatives & Defining Measurable Success

With the recent involvement of the SEC in regard to ESG standards, more and more companies are going to have to find a way to measure the success or failure to be ESG forward. In this session, our panelists will outline how to align your ESG initiatives with metrics that can be defined to ensure you can show your organization is ESG driven.

Vaishali Bhatia, Senior Vice President and General Counsel - HF Sinclair Corporation
Mike Sullivan, VP and Deputy General Counsel - Celanese Corporation
A. Shonn Brown, Vice President & Deputy General Counsel - Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Katherine Frank, Partner - Vinson & Elkins LLP

Supported by: Vinson & Elkins

Increasing Expectations

11:35 AM - 12:35 PM

SME Legal Challenges: How to Work Effectively & Be Innovative as a Small Legal Team

As business challenges and responsibilities for in-house grow, learning how to do more with less is even more important than ever. Identifying solutions to set up your small legal team for success requires managing and leveraging your resources effectively. Attend this session to better prepare for the unique challenges small legal departments face, and learn innovative ways to work effectively with a smaller team. Panelists will address how to better leverage the organization and how to best keep up with changing legal and compliance requirements. Leave this session with a better understanding of technology that can help your small legal department prevent potential problems, rather than fighting them after they arise.

Melodie Craft, VP Legal Affairs & Risk Management - McGrath Rent Corp
Monica Berry, General Counsel - INW
Heather Nevitt, Editor in Chief, Corporate Counsel and Global Leaders in Law - ALM
Kim McCormick, Vice President and General Counsel - Lincoln Property Company

Visible Leadership

11:35 AM - 12:35 PM

Inspiring Down & Managing Up: Invaluable Tools for Effective Communications & Career Growth

In today's fast-paced work environment, the ability to manage up and inspire down can give you a significant advantage in communicating effectively and advancing your legal career. This session will provide you with practical tools and strategies to become a more effective communicator and build positive relationships with your colleagues and managers. Our expert panelists will cover important topics such as active listening, giving and receiving feedback, conflict resolution and building trust. 

Alexandria McCombs, Managing Chief Counsel - McKesson Corporation
Carolyn Lam, Deputy General Counsel - Ecobat
Thomas Conner, Litigation Counsel Director - Mission Foods
Nicole Williams, Partner - Thompson Coburn LLP

Supported by: Thompson Coburn

  Lunch Roundtable Discussions

Increasing Expectations

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Hiring & Retaining In-House Talent: Adapting to the Evolving Needs of Your Workforce

The talent culture in the legal industry continues to change drastically, with a new generation of employees that have different priorities than historically seen. This session will focus on gaining a better understanding of the reasons people may be leaving the legal profession, what's missing for this new generation of legal leaders, and how to guide the professional trajectory of each individual on your team. Join this session as our experts consider the current trends affecting talent in the legal industry, explore strategies to ensure your organization is appealing to potential candidates, and offer solutions to help successfully retain talent in this modern work environment.

Tanya Henderson, Chief Compliance Officer & Regulatory Counsel - Beal Bank
Chris Maxie, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary - CSC Serviceworks
Claudine Jackson, Partner - Phelps Dunbar LLP
Sharon Johnson, CLO - MODE Global, LLC

Supported by: Phelps Dunbar LLP

Visible Leadership

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Managing Burnout: How to Ensure You and Your Team Thrive in a Complex & Stressful World

As in-house lawyers, we handle a myriad of issues; CEOs and Boards look to us for answers to a huge range of questions.  Little wonder that many lawyers report suffering burnout, with some leaving the profession as a result.  What is the secret to avoiding burnout? It is to face these challenges in a way that enables you to deliver value and thrive, without it taking a toll on your health and well-being. This session will outline the keys to avoiding burnout whilst still achieving your career goals.

Ligia Bernardo, Vice President of Legal - Olam Agri
Sheana Chen, Vice President, General Counsel, Sustainability - Diodes Incorporated
Helen Yoon, Associate General Counsel - Integer Holdings Corporation
Katie Hall, Journalist (Texas Lawyer) - ALM

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Closing Plenary - Conveying Your Message: Negotiating Ethically in Difficult Situations

As a legal professional in today's complex and fast-paced world, effective negotiation skills are paramount, but maintaining ethical standards in difficult situations can pose a significant challenge. This session is designed to equip in-house counsel with the knowledge and strategies needed to convey messaging and navigate tough negotiation scenarios while upholding ethical principles. Join this session as our expert panelists how to identify ethical dilemmas, address conflicts of interest, and uphold integrity in high-pressure situations.

Heather Nevitt, Editor in Chief, Corporate Counsel and Global Leaders in Law - ALM
Delphina Yuen, General Counsel - Outschool, Inc.
Sonya Bishop, Deputy General Counsel - Phillips 66

4:00 PM - | Close of Conference