Overview

The 43rd Annual Corporate Counsel Institute is coming to you virtually this year! We've developed this year's program to make the most of your experience with us online. Spanning three consecutive mornings, the program continues to offer in-depth, practical discussions on legal issues and considerations that matter most to corporate counsel. The Institute is THE conference for in-house counsel and outside counsel who represent companies of all sizes, and provides opportunities for dialogue and networking among speakers and attendees—making this an online event you don't want to miss!

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Wednesday Morning, Apr. 28, 2021
  • Please Note: The conference agenda is still in development and may be subject to change. Additional information, including confirmed speakers, will be posted as available.

  • 8:20 am
    Welcoming Remarks

  • 8:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Employment Law Updates and Hot Topics

    Carolyn Ann Russell, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. - Houston, TX

  • 9:00 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 9:10 am
    0.50 hr
    Privacy Law Updates: Texas, USA, and Abroad
    Privacy law continues to evolve in the US and abroad at a fast pace with many significant updates in the past year, including Schrems II, CPRA, and the report from the Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council. Businesses will have to consider these updates when collecting and using consumer data in 2021. Gain insight on recent updates to several seminal privacy regulations and discuss where federal and state privacy law might be headed in 2021 and beyond.

    Craig C. Carpenter, Thompson & Knight LLP - Dallas, TX

  • 9:40 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 9:50 am
    1.00 hr
    Contract Tips, Tricks and Traps
    Gain insight into tips, tricks and traps for the unwary in drafting key contract provisions, including strategy for negotiating these provisions. Discuss key contract provisions from the perspective of both an in-house lawyer and a litigator to help provide a balanced perspective on what is critical to have and when you can give a little during your negotiations.

    Natalie L. Arbaugh, Winston & Strawn LLP - Dallas, TX
    Tim Biggio, Dell Technologies - Richardson, TX

  • 10:50 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 11:00 am
    0.75 hr
    What Do You Do When the Feds Show Up?

    Grant Scheiner, Scheiner Law Group, P.C. - Houston, TX

  • 11:45 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 11:55 am
    0.75 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    Handling and Responding to an Investigation (When Your Employees Are Remote)
    As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have transitioned important business functions from in-person to fully remote. Discuss key practical issues for companies to consider when carrying out investigations in the remote working environment. 

    Moderator:
    Jeff Barnes, Rice University, Office of the General Counsel - Houston, TX
    Panelists:
    Alex Bourelly, Baker Botts - Washington, DC
    Mark J. Oberti, Oberti Sullivan LLP - Houston, TX

  • 12:40 pm
    Adjourn

  • Wednesday Evening, Apr. 28, 2021
  • 5:00 pm
    0.75 hr
    0.50 hr ethics
    Networking and Presentation:
    Lawyers as Leaders
    What does it take for a lawyer to be a successful leader and manager? Discuss critical aspects of leadership for lawyers, including how to lead, how to be viewed as a leader, and how to communicate as a leader to your team and to your clients, all while managing potential ethical pitfalls that may await.

    Jane Mallor McBride, Optimus Legal Management & Consulting - Plano, TX
    Sterling L. Miller, Hilgers Graben PLLC - Dallas, TX

  • 6:00 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning, Apr. 29, 2021
  • 8:30 am
    0.75 hr
    Crisis Communications: Preparing for the Inevitable
    Discuss crisis communication - both external and internal. A crisis is always waiting, and the legal department always needs to be involved in the response. Learn practical tips and tools for handling a crisis situation.

    Moderator:
    Richard W. Rew II, Luminex Corporation - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Bradley L. Adams, Southwest Transplant Alliance, Inc. - Dallas, TX
    Paul Nathanson, The Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP - Washington, DC

  • 9:15 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 9:25 am
    1.00 hr
    0.50 hr ethics
    AI and Emerging Technology in Legal Departments

    Moderator:
    T. Jason Smith, Elevate Services - Houston, TX

  • 10:25 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 10:35 am
    0.75 hr
    Substantive Legal Issues Being Created by the Use of AI

    Gary D. Eisenstat, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. - Dallas, TX
    Adam Tullman, PACCAR Inc - Bellevue, WA

  • 11:20 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 11:30 am
    0.75 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    To Pay, or Not to Pay: How to Respond to (or Prepare for) a Ransomware Attack
    Ransomware cyber-attacks have become an absolute scourge on American enterprise. Extortion demands have skyrocketed. Company data is now not only encrypted through these attacks, but also often stolen for additional attacker leverage. In this important session, attendees will learn about current ransomware threats and trends, as well as what companies can do to prepare for and respond to such attacks, including insights on paying (or not paying) a ransom.

    John E. Ansbach, Stroz Friedberg an Aon Company - Dallas, TX

  • 12:15 pm
    10-Minute Break

  • 12:25 pm
    0.50 hr
    When the #&*! Hits the Fan: Using Executive Risk Insurance to Clean Up the Mess Before it Gets Worse 
    When a single tweet sends a stock tumbling downward or a comment in a meeting shrinks a customer list to zero, effective crisis management can often be the best path to start mitigating damage and defend against future litigation. When a noisy shareholder can prompt a Seeking Alpha Report or a Plaintiff’s firm uses a Books & Records request for free discovery, you need to start defending the case long before it’s filed. Explore how in-house counsel can utilize insurance to mitigate and manage challenges before the litigation arises. Address often overlooked coverages found in management liability programs such as Crisis Management, Activist Shareholder and Books & Records coverage in a D&O policy; Training and Policy & Procedure support in an Employment Practices Liability Policy; and Reputational Harm coverage in a Cyber Policy. 

    Kara Altenbaumer-Price, McGriff, Siebels & Williams, Inc. - Addison, TX

  • 12:55 pm
    Adjourn

  • Thursday Evening, Apr. 29, 2021
  • 5:00 pm
    0.75 hr ethics
    Networking and Presentation:
    "Rumble in the Virtual Jungle": Negotiating Engagement Letters and Fee Agreements with Outside Counsel
    We’re all on the same side here, right?! Nope. Not until they are retained. Participate in an energetic discussion on the best practices, pitfalls, and possible ethical landmines in negotiating engagement letters to retain outside counsel. What are the law firm and client must-haves and how do you set yourself and your company up for success?

    Moderator:
    Clay B. Scheitzach, DriveTime - Tempe, AZ

  • 6:00 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Friday Morning, Apr. 30, 2021
  • 8:30 am
    0.50 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    Deposition Preparation When You or Your Boss are the Witness

  • 9:00 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 9:10 am
    0.75 hr
    Refresh Your Dispute Resolution Roadmap
    How to get from here to there in alternative dispute resolution, including drafting ADR provisions, structuring arbitration, preparing for mediation, refining negotiation skills, and utilizing technology.

    Sylvia A. Mayer, S. Mayer Law PLLC - Houston, TX
    Noah Webster, Zix - Dallas, TX

  • 9:55 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 10:05 am
    0.75 hr
    Practical Tips for Protecting Trade Secrets in Texas

    Jason Boulette, Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P. - Austin, TX
    Michael D. Marin, Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P. - Austin, TX

  • 10:50 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 11:00 am
    0.75 hr
    Fraud Is Now Legal in Texas (for Some People)
    Three Texas intermediate appellate courts have held that corporate actors—directors, officers, managers, shareholders, and probably common employees and agents—are immune from personal liability for the fraud and misrepresentation these actors commit as long as the deceit relates to or arises from a contractual obligation of the corporation. Two and maybe three Texas appellate courts have rejected this immunity, and federal courts have also split. Courts adopting immunity claim the authority of a statute, but this immunity cannot be justified by the statute's language or history, and adopting it creates (probably unnoticed) results that confirm the legislature never intended it.

    Val Ricks, South Texas College of Law Houston - Houston, TX

  • 11:45 am
    10-Minute Break

  • 11:55 am
    1.00 hr ethics
    In-House Counsel: Conflicts and Complexities
    On a daily basis, in-house counsel must navigate conflicts of interest and attorney client privilege issues that outside counsel do not often face. This interactive discussion addresses common scenarios and suggests paths to safe navigation.

    Sean Gorman, Bracewell LLP - Houston, TX
    Kristi H. McCarthy, Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company - Houston, TX

  • 12:55 pm
    Adjourn

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Bradley L. Adams

Southwest Transplant Alliance, Inc.
Dallas, TX

Kara Altenbaumer-Price

McGriff, Siebels & Williams, Inc.
Addison, TX

John E. Ansbach

Stroz Friedberg an Aon Company
Dallas, TX

Natalie L. Arbaugh

Winston & Strawn LLP
Dallas, TX

Jeff Barnes

Rice University, Office of the General Counsel
Houston, TX

Tim Biggio

Dell Technologies
Richardson, TX

Jason Boulette

Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Alex Bourelly

Baker Botts
Washington, DC

Craig C. Carpenter

Thompson & Knight LLP
Dallas, TX

Gary D. Eisenstat

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Dallas, TX

Sean Gorman

Bracewell LLP
Houston, TX

Michael D. Marin

Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Sylvia A. Mayer

S. Mayer Law PLLC
Houston, TX

Jane Mallor McBride

Optimus Legal Management & Consulting
Plano, TX

Kristi H. McCarthy

Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company
Houston, TX

Sterling L. Miller

Hilgers Graben PLLC
Dallas, TX

Paul Nathanson

The Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP
Washington, DC

Mark J. Oberti

Oberti Sullivan LLP
Houston, TX

Richard W. Rew II

Luminex Corporation
Austin, TX

Val Ricks

South Texas College of Law Houston
Houston, TX

Carolyn Ann Russell

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Houston, TX

Grant Scheiner

Scheiner Law Group, P.C.
Houston, TX

Clay B. Scheitzach

DriveTime
Tempe, AZ

T. Jason Smith

Elevate Services
Houston, TX

Adam Tullman

PACCAR Inc
Bellevue, WA

Noah Webster

Zix
Dallas, TX

Planning Committee

Emma Cano—Co-Chair

Jefferson Cano
San Antonio, TX

T. Jason Smith—Co-Chair

Elevate Services
Houston, TX

Joanna Jefferson—Director

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Jeff Barnes

Rice University, Office of the General Counsel
Houston, TX

Sylvia Ann Cardona

Jefferson Cano
San Antonio, TX

Alistair B. Dawson

Beck Redden LLP
Houston, TX

Gary D. Eisenstat

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Dallas, TX

Sean Gorman

Bracewell LLP
Houston, TX

L. Brad Hancock

Holland & Knight LLP
Houston, TX

Marc J. Krasney

PS Lightwave, Inc.
Houston, TX

Michael D. Marin

Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Jane Mallor McBride

Optimus Legal Management & Consulting
Plano, TX

Richard W. Rew II

Luminex Corporation
Austin, TX

Alma Reyes

Attorney at Law
Houston, TX

Clay B. Scheitzach

DriveTime
Tempe, AZ

Stephen E. Stein

Thompson & Knight LLP
Dallas, TX

Dena DeNooyer Stroh

North Texas Tollway Authority
Plano, TX

Michele B. Thompson

Law Office of Michele B. Thompson
Austin, TX

Paul R. Tobias

Vinson & Elkins LLP
Austin, TX

Jeffrey J. Walker

Masergy Communications, Inc.
Plano, TX

Key Dates

Live Webcast – Apr 28-30, 2021
Register now
Live Webcast
Last day for Individual early registration: Apr 28, 2021

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Apr 28, 2021

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Apr 28, 2021

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Apr 23, 2021

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: Apr 26, 2021

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