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| Question of the Month |
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Question of the Month Does ACC have any resources to assist law departments as they respond to and manage the financial markets crisis faced by companies and their clients?
Answer: ACC has several resources to assist law departments as they respond to current events in the financial markets, including: • At the ACC Financial Services Committee home page, members can find a summary and update of the Economic Stabilization Plan, as well as guidance concerning the process the federal government will follow to retain financial agents and to select contractors. |
| Advocacy |
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New SEC Privilege Guidelines Track Recently Issued U.S. Attorney Manual Reforms On October 6, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a new Enforcement Manual, which largely adopts the new Justice Department guidance respecting the privilege in corporate investigations. The manual has the effect of replacing current privilege waiver policies outlined in the Seaboard Report (which did not recognize work product protections and allowed regulators to demand attorney-client privilege waiver as a condition of cooperation). The new guidelines are a welcome change, and while they may not be a complete solution, they are a huge step toward revision of the failed waiver policies that ACC and its coalition partners have been fighting for the agency to reconsider. To review the new SEC Enforcement Manual, click here. To review the new US Attorney’s Manual, click here. Back to top |
| Education |
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Live Audio Webcasts from ACC’s 2008 Annual Meeting Would you like to participate in the 2008 ACC Annual Meeting (October 19-22, Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, WA), but can’t be there in person? If so, it might be time to consider a new alternative - being a virtual attendee. Live audio Webcasts of the most popular CLE/CPD programs on topics such as ethics, M&A, management and outsourcing will be available and conveniently delivered to your desktop. The added benefit for ACC members is that discounted rates are available when registering for these sessions. A complete list of Webcasts and details on how to sign up can be accessed online at http://am.acc.com/web_casts.cfm. CLE/CPD credit is available for Webcasts from jurisdictions that accept online CLE/CPD credit. Back to top |
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ACC's Mini MBA – Now in Europe (November 12-14) ACC is taking its wildly popular MiniMBA program to Brussels, November 12-14. ACC's Mini MBA Program for In-house Counsel, offered in conjunction with Boston University's School of Management, explores the essential business skills that enhance and sharpen a lawyer's knowledge in such critical MBA disciplines as Accounting, Finance, Strategy and Organizational Behavior. Visit www.acc.com/minimba to register, and just a reminder - we'll be back in Boston in February 2009. Back to top |
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ACC’s Corporate Compliance & Ethics DVD: Real-Life Scenarios and Practical Applications Illuminated ACC has completed production on its Ethical Issues for Corporate Counsel DVD, which brings to light real-life corporate scenarios and the difficult judgments that in-house counsel must make. From navigating internal investigations and employee interviews, to the ethics of supervising off-shored and outsourced work, to the hiring of professional investigators to collect background facts, and even, the issues involved in “global” counseling --- this DVD provides a great discussion platform for your next chapter meeting or department retreat. Written specifically for in-house counsel, with your needs and interests in mind, the scenarios have been developed to engage discussion about “what happens next” and to help you gauge responses to difficult situations. More information about the DVD will be available on www.acc.com …. and be sure to sign up for the Ethics SuperSession at this year’s Annual Meeting in Seattle and join ACC Senior Vice President & General Counsel Susan Hackett as she leads a discussion in conjunction with the DVD vignettes to help determine how our corporate counsel hero should handle the situations presented. Back to top |
| My Membership |
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Renew Your ACC Membership and Get a Free Online CLE Recently, we mailed renewal invoices for everyone with a December 31st expiration date. Remember, if you renew by December 12, you will qualify for a FREE ACC online CLE program through WestLegalEdcenter. Renew online at www.acc.com/membership/renew.php or over the phone with us at 202.293.4103, ext.360. Back to top |
| Resources |
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Write On! You have a story; others want to hear it. You might not think so, but what you have to say is important. ACC is by in-house counsel, for in-house counsel. There are thousands of other members just like you; important matters that you learn, experience, and worry about are important to them as well. Author an article for the ACC Docket to expand the thinking and continue the dialogue. It also doesn’t hurt to be able to say you’re a published author! Take the next step. To propose your article, contact Kim Howard, editor in chief of the ACC Docket, at howard@acc.com or 202.293.4103 x320. Back to top |
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ACC Top Ten: Is Your Company Ready for Politically Charged Discussions? During this presidential election season, political discussions and debates are everywhere — including the workplace. Political dialogue and disagreements not only may affect employee morale and productivity, but may also create potential liability for employers. To safeguard your work environment, check out this month's ACC Top Ten: Questions Regarding Political Dialogue in the Workplace. Interested in writing a Top Ten? Contact Nichole Opkins to find out how. Check out ACC Top Ten at acc.com/topten. Back to top |
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The 2008 Annual Meeting Blog Want to be in the know? If so, here is your chance. ACC will be blogging live from sessions, receptions and the exhibit hall floor during this year’s Annual Meeting. Viewing for attendees will also be available at the CyberCafe. Sign up now for the RSS feed and follow your fellow in-house counsel as they experiencing the largest CLE event for corporate lawyers. Check it out at acc.com/blog Do you write a blog that other in-house counsel would be interested in reading? If so, send your link to Nichole Opkins. Back to top |
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Corporate Counsel Say Election Will Impact Employment Law Six out of ten corporate counsel expect this year’s presidential elections to have an impact on labor and employment laws at their companies, according to a survey of workplace issues released from ACC’s Employment and Labor Law Committee (ELLC), with the assistance of Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the country’s leading workplace law firms and sponsor of the ELLC. Back to top |
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ACC Alliance Partners – Working for You ACC members benefit from our partnerships with top-tier legal and business service providers with services specifically designed for the in-house practitioner at special rates. • Bridgeway brings best practices to corporate legal departments for matter management, corporate governance, electronic invoicing/cost management, mass tort and contracts management. • Chubb provides comprehensive Employed Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance for in-house counsel insuring employed lawyers against claims by non-client third parties. For more on these and the other ACC Alliance Partners, visit www.acc.com/alliance. Back to top |
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Looking for a New Job? ACC’s In-house Jobline℠ can help you find the opportunity that's right for you. Post your résumé at no charge, and get access to almost 1,000 job postings for in-house positions around the world spanning all disciplines of the law. Visit jobline.acc.com. Back to top |
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Get Connected in a Whole New Way The redesigned ACC Web site has launched! Based on member needs and direct feedback, ACC’s Web site, has received an overhaul to better assist with your day-to-day needs. Existing content and new additions have been arranged to help you find what you need with the click of your mouse, saving you time and effort as you obtain the resources and information you need. We do realize some of you have experienced some difficulty accessing information and we are aggressively addressing the issues as they come to our attention. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we improve the navigation, provide you with better search capabilities, and refine content. We welcome your feedback. Please send any questions or comments to foundsomething@acc.com. Back to top |
| ACC News & Announcements |
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ACC in the News Visit ACC in the News for the latest ACC media coverage. If you have any questions, or wish to receive additional information about items included in this month's newsletter, please contact Susan Jacobsen at (202) 293-4103, ext. 354 or via email at jacobsen@acc.com. Back to top |
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In-house Counsel’s Good Samaritans On October 8, ACC member Mike Dwyer witnessed a small plane crashing into the Pacific Ocean, in front of his office; and without thought, dove in to rescue the passengers. Thanks to the heroic rescue by ACC member Mike Dwyer and his colleague, both victims, who were safely brought to shore. Mike recounts the horrifying event for the Los Angeles Times and a video clip detailing the amazing rescue is available on the Los Angeles Times Web site. Mike, who has been a visionary and great leader within the SoCal Chapter for years, is the Vice President of Legal & Human Resources for JAKKS Pacific, Inc. To the ACCA-SoCal Chapter, Mike and has always been a hero, and on behalf of ACC, we commend his selfless and heroic actions. Back to top |
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ACC Value Challenge Now Available @ACC.com If you were not able to watch the highly anticipated ACC Value Challenge Webcast on September 26, it is now accessible at www.acc.com/valuechallenge, with a special online option of viewing in segments. This new initiative has prompted a national dialog about the need to reconnect value to costs, especially within the law firm community. Tools have been created that in-house counsel and firms can share to drive change in the performance of value-based legal services; to learn more about the initiative, visit www.acc.com/valuechallenge. Back to top |
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International Law Office’s Client Choice Awards 2008 The International Law Office is proud to announce the winners of the fourth annual Client Choice Awards. These international awards are the first and only to focus on the full spectrum of client service and customer care. This year's winners were chosen from more than 1,500 individual assessments received from corporate counsel worldwide. The criteria for the awards centered on law firms' ability to add real value to their clients' business above and beyond the other players in the market. For more information and to view the full list of winners, please visit www.clientchoiceawards.com. Back to top |
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Join Us for the ACC/Street Law Annual Meeting Breakfast On Monday, October 20 from 8 – 9 a.m., the WMACCA Chapter and Street Law will co-host a breakfast during ACC’s Annual Meeting to familiarize members with the ACC/Street Law program. The breakfast, which will be held in the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, will give members the opportunity to ask questions, network, and meet program participants. For more information and to sign up, please visit www.streetlaw.org/acc. Be sure to stop by the Street Law booth in the Exhibit Hall for more information on the ACC/Street Law Diversity Pipeline program. Back to top |
