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CLO Perspectives: Ivan Fong Brings the Client Service Culture to the Department of Homeland Security
As general counsel of the US Department of Homeland Security, Ivan Fong is ultimately in charge of 1,700 attorneys in its many units, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services
DHS and its component parts are among the federal agencies that are best known to the average American and sometimes the most disliked. DHS is responsible for keeping Americans safe from terrorism, protecting the borders, responding to natural disasters, enforcing our immigration laws, and performing many of our nation’s other crucial undertakings.
This ACC CLO Perspectives piece provides insights on how Ivan Fong has brought the in-house culture to the US Department of Homeland Security. To continue reading, click here.
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Hot off the Presses! ACC to Convene FCPA Roundtable with DOJ and SEC
On May 24th, ACC will conduct a roundtable in Washington, D.C. with the DOJ and SEC regarding FCPA compliance and enforcement issues. The date was set yesterday, so more information will be forthcoming. However, in the interim, we're looking for in-house counsel who have a strong interest in FCPA issues to join us as we exchange views with the government regarding upcoming guidance it plans to issue later this year. In particular, we plan to request further guidance about unclear statutory terms in the Act itself, the role of compliance systems in charging decisions and for protections against duplicative penalties via multiple enforcement authorities, both domestically and internationally. Please let JD White at white@acc.com know if you or someone on your team is interested in attending. Space is limited and we will be sifting through nominees to ensure a diversity of industry representation, among other things.
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ACC Advocacy Roundup: Attorney-Client Privilege, Intellectual Property Committee Weighs in with the PTO, and the New Advocacy Page
Does the Attorney-Client Privilege Protect Conversations between Client Employees about Seeking Legal Advice?
On April 13th, ACC and its New Jersey Chapter filed an amicus curiae brief in federal court, arguing that, in denying protection to an email between a group of employees about the need to seek legal advice, the district court failed to understand the modern corporate environment, particularly in the global context. In this case, an employee based in India emailed his American colleagues about a disputed contractual provision and asked that the company lawyer take a look. The district court rejected privilege protection, because the Indian employee did not email the lawyer directly. ACC's amicus brief made clear that requiring direct contact with a lawyer ignores the reality facing corporations with far flung operations and limited legal budgets.
To view the brief please click here.
ACC and its Intellectual Property Committee Recommend Changes to Inter Partes and Post-Grant Reviews
On April 9th, the ACC and its Intellectual Property Committee submitted comments regarding the proposed rules of the Patent and Trademark Office relating to the Inter Partes Review and Post-Grant Review proceedings to be implemented pursuant to the America Invents Act. In particular, the ACC and the IP Committee recommended changes to the proposed claim construction procedures, discovery rules, and identification of the real party in interest requirement applicable to both IPR and PGR proceedings. If adopted, our changes would ensure that the PTO implements a certain and predictable process to govern patent challenges through IPR and PGR proceedings.
ACC Advocacy Website Undergoing Changes
ACC’s Advocacy web page has been upgraded to improve delivery of news and issues that have impact on the in-house practice, in addition to ACC’s advocacy work on your behalf. As the site evolves expect more social media interaction and timely commentary. To learn more click here.
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ACC's In-house ACCess Blog: 2011 Census - It's All About You
In this month's blog, ACC President and CEO, Veta T. Richardson, talks about the 2011 ACC Census that provides unique insight into your world as in-house counsel.
To read the full blog post, click here.
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ACC Education and Events Calendar
ACC develops training sessions and continuing education programs to prepare participants for current issues facing in-house counsel. Learn about programs on: business education, compliance and ethics, and legal service management.
- Protecting Your Company:
If your law department is looking to build or enhance its internal compliance training program, ACC’s Compliance & Ethics Training Program (May 1–2, New Orleans, LA) is the perfect program for your staff. This workshop-style training will cover the basics of internal compliance programs, and methods of implementation and reporting. It will provide practical guides and checklists to get your compliance program up and running. | Register and learn more at: http://www.acc.com/ce.
- ACC’s Legal Service Management Workshop: May 2–3, 2012, Minneapolis, MN | Looking for ways to drive value in client/firm relationships? Don’t miss out on ACC’s Legal Service Management Workshop. This two-day, intensive executive workshop brings together law department and law firm leaders who have begun to implement value-based fee structures, and equips them with the management skills and tools needed to support these fee structures. Past participants have reported making real progress in improving value in client/firm relationships. | Register and learn more at: www.acc.com/legalservicemanagement.
- In a time where in-house counsel are generally expected to do more with less, ACC Europe’s 19th Annual Conference (Sunday 13- Tuesday 15, May 2012, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), with over 20 programs, offers a timely and unique opportunity to share best practices with your peers on a wide range of topics including:
- Top compliance threats in Europe – is your company aware and prepared?
- Making the cross-border merger bulletproof
- Managing global employment policies
- Conducting cross-border internal investigations
- Antitrust: new challenges for the web–based economy
- Making data privacy work for your company
- Challenges and opportunities when entering new markets
Join us for this unique gathering to discuss and debate how you can drive and deliver results while facing increasing global demands. | Click here to view the full program!
- Help Your New-to-In-house Staff Jumpstart Their Careers: As the leader in your legal department, it is important for you to ensure your new-to-in-house staff get up-to-speed with their position. ACC’s Corporate Counsel University® May 20-22, Los Angeles, CA) is designed for corporate counsel with no more than five years’ experience and who want to sharpen their basis practice skills. Send your staff to this program to help them jumpstart their careers and make a bigger impact on your organization. May 20–22, Los Angeles, CA | Register and learn more at: http://ccu.acc.com
The complete list of ACC’s educational programs is available at: www.acc.com/education.
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Exclusive Access to ACC's Law Department Executive Leaders (LDEL)
Do you have a Chief of Staff or a head of operations? If so, your "second in command" has a valuable opportunity to join ACC's Law Department Executive Leaders (LDEL) group. Designed to help those in this critical role manage the legal function effectively, members of this group are invited to attend three round-table meetings each year and to interact on an on-going basis via private eGroup (listserv) discussions. The members find the opportunities to compare management tactics, discuss critical and timely topics, and access tailored ACC reports extremely helpful in maximizing efficiency within their departments. An overview of the group is available at www.acc.com/community/ldel/index.cfm and specific questions can be directed to Catherine Moynihan, our Director of Legal Management Services at moynihan@acc.com or 202.293.4103, x 398.
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ACC Legal Resources
Resources for you and your department:
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