Somewhere, a company struggles in the Post-Enron world.How does it maintain productivity, satisfy shareholder interest, and keep the regulators happy?It's ACC to the rescue with its signature annual meeting event, this year entitled "Legal Underdog to Corporate Superhero - Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage," to be held: October 17-19 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC.
The Association of Corporate Counsel is THE voice of the in-house bar, whose mission is to advance the practice of law and the professional standing of in-house counsel.This mission has never been more important.In-house lawyers have been the target for regulators in some cases, but considered the "corporate cops" in others.Legal ethics rules havenot kept pace with the changes in business ethics.And corporate clients don't know where to turn - can they rely on attorney confidentiality anymore?
The new emphasis on corporate compliance has created challenges, opportunities, and potential pitfalls for the in-house lawyer.Every day, companies face new risks and challenges.By taking the lead and implementing broader compliance programs, in-house attorneys can identify and resolve problem areas before they threaten the company's profits and reputation.Enter ACC.The 2005 Annual Meeting offers in-house lawyers seminars and programs - over 100 CLE programs spread across 12 tracks of programming, including an entire track of compliance sessions that will show attendees how to become a "superhero" to their company by helping corporate clients be proactive in identifying and managing compliance risks.
The new compliance track offers a soup to nuts approach to compliance issues.While there will be programs specifically related to Sarbanes-Oxley, compliance will be examined from such diverse perspectives as occupational safety and health and management of real estate risks.The Annual Meeting will also provide practical information on how to set up a corporate compliance program, how to "sell" it to management, and how to maintain management support.All programs will be conducted by experienced in-house attorneys making this conference uniquely by and for the in-house bar.And to top it all off, legal ethics will be presented in several formats, including a pre-breakfast program for employment and labor counsel.
Of course, in spotlighting corporate compliance, ACC has not ignored the issues that have always existed for corporate counsel.Reflecting the diversity of the membership, programs cover the range of legal specialties such as employment and labor, intellectual property, and corporate and securities practices, as well as programs for generalists.The ACC Annual Meeting is designed to offer programs of interest to in-house lawyers at every stage of their legal careers.Programs will be offered for attorneys who are new to in-house practice, lawyer managers, and chief legal officers.For the first time, this year's meeting will also offer Back to Basics programs that will provide solid overviews of substantive legal topics for counsel looking to update their knowledge or even to learn something new.Back to Basics programs will include topics such as Basic Contract Law Principles in Europe, Introduction to SEC Reporting, and Best Practices for Preventing Litigation.
ACC's Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of corporate practitioners in the world. Early registration figures show the 2005 meeting will be the largest to date for the association.Members report that the opportunity to build contacts around the world is well worth the cost of attendance.Regardless of practice area or level of experience, registrants will surely leave with current, practical information that will both challenge and help them improve their legal practice.For meeting details or to register, visit ACC Online (www.acca.com/am/05).You don't want to be left out of this world-class event!