Recent Articles

My Return to the White House for Kagan Announcement

May 10, 2010 19:34

I had the privilege to attend today’s White House announcement of the Supreme Court nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan. Previously, I represented ACC at a White House briefing. The White House also solicited ACC’s input during the nomination process on characteristics we...

Street Law Honors Award Recipients at Annual Dinner

May 07, 2010 18:38

Street Law, a nonprofit organization that provides education programs about law, democracy, and human rights and a partner with ACC on the corporate legal diversity pipeline initiative held their annual dinner last week in Washington, D.C. What an evening it turned out to...

What does Law Day mean to you?

April 30, 2010 19:01

  May 1 offers lawyers an opportunity to reflect on what the law “means” to each of us, those we serve, and the larger interests of society.  Law Day in the US often includes ceremonial celebrations, recommitment to the highest values of our profession and public service (and...

AKZO Decision Denies Legal Privilege Protections (LPP)/Confidentiality To Clients of EU In-House Counsel

April 29, 2010 16:47

On April 29, Advocate General Juliane Kokott of the Court of Justice of the European Union issued her opinion in the case of Akzo Nobel Chemicals Ltd v. EU (Case-550/07) suggesting that legal professional privilege does not apply to communications with in-house lawyers.  [The AG’s...

Grounded in London

April 22, 2010 15:34

The recent volcano that brought air travel to a standstill erupted just as I was finishing a European General Counsel Roundtable in London that focused on “Managing the Global Legal Function in the Midst of Change.” If you are on Twitter, you can see some of my insights here....

Be a Lawyer, You Love to Argue

April 21, 2010 15:13

A quick straw poll at a recent ACC MiniMBA showed that all the former litigators in the room eventually moved out of this area of their profession for one reason: they got tired of always arguing. If all the good litigators leave, who will represent you in court? Is there a way that in-house...

Chief Legal Officers Share Similar Challenges Within Distinct Cultures

April 14, 2010 19:49

I am privileged to travel and meet with CLOs around the world. I recently participated in a wide-ranging discussion in Canada. Some observations: 1. CLOs just about everywhere (Europe, Canada, Australia, China and the U.S.) face many of the same issues no matter where they are located. How they...

The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Chapter 8 Revisions of 2010: What does it mean for you and your company?

April 12, 2010 20:46

The U.S. Sentencing Commission issued final comments on revisions they are proposing to Chapter 8 – the Corporate Sentencing Guidelines – of the U.S. Sentencing Manual.  As most of you know, the Guidelines are relatively rarely applied to companies at sentencing – most...

The Slow Motion Riot - The Change Agenda for Legal Departments and Law Firms

March 30, 2010 17:26

While change in the relationship between corporate clients and law firms over the next several years will be revolutionary in nature, it will be evolutionary in development.  Folks will work on one or two things at a time, and each new piece of progress will become the foundation for the...

The Slow Motion Riot - The Change Agenda for Legal Departments and Law Firms

March 30, 2010 17:26

While change in the relationship between corporate clients and law firms over the next several years will be revolutionary in nature, it will be evolutionary in development.  Folks will work on one or two things at a time, and each new piece of progress will become the foundation for the...