The argument has long been over whether and why the billable hour needs killing. However perhaps the reality is that it’s actually already dead but not everyone’s received the memo! Although the law firm/in-house relationship is largely driven by just that — relationships, things are rapidly changing. An increasing emphasis on cost savings and corporate accountability is driving both in-house teams and their firms to reassess how business is both won and done. Join us as Jim Delkousis, ex-big law firm partner and CEO of PERSUIT, explores the increasingly important role that legal technology is playing in transforming the client-firm relationship and the law firm business model as we know it.
Jim Delkousis, Founder & CEO, PERSUIT
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
Efficiency enhancements in legal departments directly support the company’s primary goal of driving profitability. However, driving strategic, financial, and operational departmental priorities is only possible through a valuable and understanding relationship between the GC and Legal Operations. This panel will explore how both functions can work harmoniously to increase efficiency, lower costs, and deliver better results.
· Understand and leverage your data to inform strategic decision making
· Derive diverse value from Legal Operations beyond budget control and vendor management
· Establish key partnerships to help you maximize the efficient delivery of legal services throughout your organization
Cindy VanCleave, Deputy General Counsel – Environmental & Regulatory, Phillips 66
Kaylyn Nichols, Senior Director of Legal Operations, Micron Technology
Erik W. Perez, Central Legal Operations Officer – Legal Services Global Operations, Shell
Moderator: Bill Josten, Senior Manager - Thomson Reuters Institute, Thomson Reuters
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
Legal Leaders in 2023 must grapple with increasingly complex social, environmental, business, and legal challenges whilst remaining a highly effective and efficient legal department in this distributed and disrupted post-pandemic world.
· Understand how to add value through proper collaboration with other business stakeholders
· Fine tune and assert your critical role in your businesses’ post pandemic strategy
· Equip yourself with what you need to effectively manage a distributed legal department
Chiddy Onyia, General Counsel, Alma
Julie Rottenberg, General Counsel, Visa
Moderator: Bill Josten, Senior Manager - Thomson Reuters Institute, Thomson Reuters
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
Despite legal operations being a function of much discussion between legal department leaders, it is often spread very widely across roles and infrequently managed by an eponymous job title. As a result, dedicated legal operations management roles are still somewhat nascent. This session will help you navigate the high degree of evolution occurring within the legal operations function and plot the role of legal operations among new ways of working and the constant emergence of new legal technology.
· Develop a robust and comprehensive definition for the legal operations function
· Identify and utilize on the key legal operations staff in your department
· Grow and implement a legal operations strategy aligned with the strategic priorities of your GC and organizational leadership
Tanushka Gunatilake, Head of Legal Operations, HP
Aime Hadnot, Assistant Vice President-Legal Operations, AT&T
Vivek Hatti, Senior Manager, Legal Operations, Booking Holdings
Moderator: Stacey Shaw, Compliance Lead, Associate General Counsel, Likewize
The delegation breaks out into intimate groups of between 8-12 to discuss a topic of their choice for one hour
Topic: How technology is changing the future of legal work
Hillary McNally, General Manager of Corporates Legal, Thomson Reuters
Topic: Staying ahead of the curve on European regulations
Moderator: András Radnóti, Managing Partner, Millennium Emerging Europe
Topic: Finding the right balance between remote and in-office working for high-performance in-house legal teams
Moderator: Stacey Shaw, Compliance Lead, Associate General Counsel, Likewize
Topic: Staying compliant with an ever-evolving regulatory landscape
Moderator: Doug Martin, General Counsel and VP Compliance, Blue Bell Creameries
Topic: Collaboration at the top - Law firm leadership & the GC
Josh Kluge, VP Sales, Corporates Legal, Thomson Reuters
Topic: Acting on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements
Moderator: Elliot Mark, Former General Counsel, Everbridge
CLE accredited session: General
ESG is a multi-disciplinary endeavour, with critical stakeholders both internally and externally. For many companies, the GC and the legal team possess a uniquely holistic view of ESG-related activities within the company as well as ESG-related risks and opportunities, and thus can weave disparate ESG topics into a narrative that resonates with many stakeholders and maximizes the impact of the ESG program.
· Leverage existing networks to engage on ESG with multiple internal and external stakeholders
· Build on that engagement to organize an ESG program internally
· Set the foundation for ESG to be a part of the company’s business and strategy
Joanne Caruso, Chief Legal Officer, Jacobs
Marcela Kirberger, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Head of Corporate Affairs, Enterprise Risk and ESG, Elanco Animal Health
Danielle Do, SVP, Chief Corporate & Securities Counsel and ESG Leader, Synchrony
Moderator: András Radnóti, Managing Partner, Millennium Emerging Europe
Presenting legal issues to senior executives is tricky. They typically lack patience for detailed legal discussions and are uncomfortable with legal issues generally. Regardless, all in-house lawyers must find a way to present legal matters to executives as their input is usually vital. Join us for an interactive session with three-time general counsel, five-time author, and “Ten Things You Need to Know as In-House Counsel” blogger, Sterling Miller who will discuss:
· How to prepare for such a discussion
· Using numbers and graphs
· The proper use of PowerPoint
· The attorney-client privilege
· And lots more!
Sterling Miller, CEO & Senior Counsel, Hilgers Graben PLLC
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
Legal is most valuable when involved from the outset of projects. Early-stage involvement allows this sometimes undervalued and overlooked function to build full policy advocacy strategies and think creatively to solve problems to ensure projects are delivered more safely and quickly.
· Identify and befriend the key stakeholders who will get you and your department heard
· Overcome internal politics to ensure your organization benefits from interdepartmental strategic collaboration
· Embed legal in different teams across the business to supercharge your added value
Allison Starmann, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, American Chemistry Council
John Reynolds, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, Fluor
Mandy Rinker Horton, General Counsel, Careington International
Moderator: Daniel H. Ahn, Partner, Reed Smith LLP
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
As legal departments seek to reduce outside counsel spend by bringing more work in-house, implementing technology to simplify workflows has become a pressing strategic priority for GCs and Heads of Legal Operations alike. However, most legal department budgets have not increased, despite an increase in matter volume. This session will explore how in-house legal leaders are striving to do more with less in this challenging environment.
· Turbocharge improvements to process and technology in your legal department to bolster efficiency
· Hire the right team for your department’s size, risk appetite, and budget
· Identify and eliminate hinderances to your business processing and mapping
Sarah Lovequist, Legal Operations Director, AmTrust Financial Services
Chad Doellinger, Legal Chief Operations Officer, Deputy General Counsel - Global Litigation, CBRE
Sarah Binder, General Counsel, Lime
Moderator: Marc May, Industry Solutions Director, Legal, M-Files
CLE accredited session: General
An ever increasing and omnipresent threat of cybercrime looms over virtually every organization. Lawmakers must pass fair laws for individuals and corporations and Legal departments are now involved in making decisions about staying compliant, protecting against attacks, and responding to breaches. This session explores how the General Counsel and Legal Operations can be key protectors in a dangerous digital world.
· Collaborate with your board and CISO to ensure the information security of your organization
· Evaluate risks to correctly prioritize cyber security
· Not if but when: understand your crucial role in responding to an attack to protect your organization’s reputation
Matt Fussa, Senior Director, Security & Trust Organization, Cisco
David Vanalek, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Richmond National Insurance
David Morris, Former General Counsel, Vivid Seats
Juhi Chawla, Head of IT, North Texas Tollway Authority
Moderator: Lalit Ahluwalia, CEO, Inspira Enterprise
CLE accredited session: General
Historically toxic law firm leadership environments can infiltrate corporate legal departments creating tension and resentment. Coupled with the growth of non-lawyer roles within in-house departments, communication is more important than ever for a modern-day Legal Leader. This session examines how the GC and Legal Operations can create a harmonious, trusting, and efficient legal function.
· Identify and communicate what each function requires and to operate effectively
· Rid yourself of any legacy toxic leadership tendencies to foster a culture of trust and inclusivity
· Understand what the modern lawyer and legal operations professional want from an in-house role
Jonathan Greenblatt, VP, Legal, LinkSquares
Chasity Henry, Deputy General Counsel, Jacobs
Ada (Guidotti Finkel), General Counsel, accesshealthcare
Moderator: Greg Lambert, Chief Knowledge Services Officer, Jackson Walker LLP
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
Leveraging technology is table stakes for today’s General Counsels. But driving change management around that use is no easy lift. Legal operations plays an increasingly pivotal role in helping in-house teams successfully do it. In this panel discussion, we will learn from GCs and legal operations professionals who have learned how to make this special relationship a success. Our panellists will explore:
· What effective collaboration between general counsel and legal operations really looks like
· The best tactics for driving change management around the use of technology for in-house teams
· How to find and evaluate the tech solutions that are most helpful, versus those that just add to the noise
Shannon Thyme-Klinger, Chief Legal Officer, Moderna
Alexandra Guajardo, Pricing & Analytics Officer, LSGO Central Legal Operations, Shell
Marcela Kirberger, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Head of Corporate Affairs, Enterprise Risk and ESG, Elanco Animal Health
Moderator: Jim Delkousis, Founder & CEO, PERSUIT
The most successful legal departments will be those which can actively embrace transformative change, both within their own organizations and in their relationships with outside advisors. The latest research from the Thomson Reuters Institute (with more than 2,200 General Counsel and Chief Legal Officers) offers strategic insights into key metrics needed to not only enhance operational focus but ensure the legal department is seen by the rest of the organization as aligned and supportive of key business needs.
· Discover best-in-class legal spend benchmarks that will enable more accurate evaluation
· Access evidence-led advice on how to optimize your department and its outputs
· Utilize peer insights to inspire innovation and transformational change
Elizabeth Duffy, Senior Director, Thomson Reuters Institute
CLE accredited session: Law Practice Management
As most legal departments are facing both increasing matter volume and an increasing percentage of work being handled in-house, having a talented, diverse, and driven team of lawyers and legal operations staff is crucial to staying afloat. This session will help you recruit, train, and retain your in-house A-team.
· Discover how a head coach can foster collaboration and development of professional skills to transform your lawyers and legal operations staff into the legal leaders of tomorrow
· Understand and accommodate what drives your colleagues to embed a positive work culture in your department
· Identify when you should hire your first dedicated legal operations FTE
Rob Beard, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Micron Technology
Jason Gao, Chief Legal Officer, Impossible Foods
Bill Ryan, SVP & Assistant General Counsel, AT&T
Moderator: Elliot Mark, Former General Counsel, Everbridge
Lawsuits can be gruelling and expensive affairs. However, with the right approach, tools and strategy, in-house counsel can transform the litigation function into a valued business partner. This panel will help you come out on top in your next case!
· Navigate the key actions, events, and reactions to achieve the overarching goal of your litigation
· Achieve results beyond the outcome of a single case, such as setting positive legal precedents or bolstering consumer safety standards
· Understand and deploy the qualities of a successful litigation strategist
