The relationship between the board of directors and the corporate secretary and general counsel can have all the tension of a high-wire act under the big tent. The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and the National Association of Corporate Directors next month are sponsoring a seminar that will clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all involved.
The program, titled What the Board Really Expects From the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10.
As emphasized by recent corporate crises, boards are focusing more closely than ever on their risk oversight responsibility to the corporation. This program will place special emphasis on the general counsel's and corporate secretary's role in risk oversight and examine three areas in which engaged, effective boards most depend on them:
To be gatekeepers to the right information (not necessarily all information ) to help the board effectively monitor risk to the corporation;
To be guardians of the board's relationship with truly independent outside advisers when appropriate;
To be active advocates of good corporate governance when fraud is suspected or the company is in crisis.
Discussion topics for the day-long session will include: managing board self-assessment, advising the CEO and chair on succession planning, reporting on legal and ethical controls and compliance, engaging independent board advisers, preparing for crisis management, developing communications strategies, gathering and sharing best practices information, better management of board and committee meetings, dealing with documentation, recording effective minutes, using technology tocommunicate between meetings, and creating and implementing board and committee charters, policies, and guidelines.
The program will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, DC. Registration and continental breakfast will begin at 7 a.m.
For information on registration fees, see the Bulletin Board in this issue.
For additional registration information, visit www.nacdonline.org/ seminars.
