WMACCA PR Initiative Taking Off

Each day, in-house counsel are on the front lines in managing and handling the issues and deals that are of the highest priority to the companies and organizations that employ them.  Sometimes, the matters that they handle are sensitive, and the goal is to avoid public scrutiny and media attention.  However, oftentimes the work they are doing is deserving of recognition and kudos - but we never hear about it.

WMACCA wants to change that state of affairs.  And we need your assistance.  There are four aspects to this initiative:

1. Working with the media as a resource or source on important news and issues;
2. Developing substantive content for the media;
   
3. Getting recognition for in-house counsel making career moves or doing important deals;
4. Helping members get awards and honors.

2.  DEVELOPING CONTENT:  Are you a good writer?  We also are looking to develop a pool of writers who would be willing to develop articles – on a substantive area of law, on a practice-management technique that has been particularly valuable, or any other subject that you want to share with your colleagues.  This is yet another way to demonstrate the expertise that in-house counsel have.  WMACCA members are encouraged to write for American Lawyer Media’s “Law.com” in-house counsel site and for the Legal Times’ monthly Corporate Counsel section. We can help you find a co-author, discuss topics, and provide other support.   If you are interested, please contact Mark Spitz, Senior Staff Attorney at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at 202-463-5561 or mspitz@uschamber.com.  There also are several wonderful opportunities to share your insights via ACC resources.  The ACC Docket – the Association of Corporate Counsel’s top-notch journal – is always looking for contributors.  In addition, there are many opportunities to develop InfoPaks for your colleagues or submit forms for the Virtual Library.

3.  NEWS OF NOTE:  We will act as a conduit to get information about developments of note to the local media (including The Legal Times, the Washington Business Journal, the Washington Post business section, Bisnow on Business, Metropolitan Corporate CounselWashington Lawyer, and others).  Each month, we will gather the submissions we receive (on or before the 15th of the month), and submit them to those media outlets.  The topics we are looking for include: magazine, the

• Recent promotions, appointments, or honors of note.  These may include appointments or honors that you received in connection with an outside activity in which you are engaged (such as being named to the Board of Directors of a volunteer organization that you work with). 
  
• Important deals or matters for your organization - including M&A activity, IPOs or follow-on offerings, important contracts, prevailing in or settling a significant piece of litigation, etc.  Please provide all relevant details, including the names of those in-house counsel, and if appropriate outside counsel, involved in handling the matter.
  

Please submit the information to Joe Titlebaum at jtitlebaum@aol.com or Ilene Reid at Ilene.Reid@WMACCA.com.

4.  AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:  You have seen a myriad of lists of the "best" lawyers - but how often are in-house counsel on those lists?  And don't we belong there?  Again this year, WMACCA will let you know about opportunities to apply for awards or other recognition.  As the nominations process for such opportunities open, we will let you know about these awards/honors, and urge you to follow up for individual lawyers or your entire department.  If you would like more information about this effort, please contact Adam Palmer, Law & Policy Counsel at The Public Interest Registry, at 703-889-5756 or apalmer@pir.org

Thank you, in advance, for your assistance with this important initiative.