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John Grupp
ACC Charlotte President, 2022
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Greetings ACC Charlotte Chapter members.
While I know you all remember my Q1 message in great detail (š), I highlighted our desire and effort to get on the āother sideā of the challenges, difficulties and changes related to COVID-19. I am pleased to communicate with you again and report on the progress our Chapter has made over the past 3 months: we held 15 events, including multiple CLEās, 2 affinity events, 2 social events, a womenās event, a community service event and a GC Roundtable...and the majority of these events were in person. I attended several events and enjoyed seeing friends again and making new acquaintances!
Of course, our sponsors are critical to our ability to conduct these events and continue to transition back to in-person gatherings. Just as we want to re-connect, our sponsors are eager to re-connect with us too. Thank you to all who attended these events!
As we continue to work with our sponsors on the programming for the second half of 2022, we appreciate your consideration of the request that everyone please try to honor their RSVPās to events. We certainly understand that unforeseen circumstances occur and may cause a change in plans. But, minimizing any changes helps us to avoid no-shows and potential cancellations of events, as well as related costs our sponsors incur. We distributed a survey to Chapter membership a few weeks ago to obtain additional feedback on the desired scheduling for future events. Thanks to everyone who responded. We are using this data now to work with our sponsors to find the right balance moving forward. Please mark your calendar for Casino Night which will occur on August 27, 2022.
I hope to see you at a future event. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions, to offer feedback on the Chapter or to simply connect. I hope you have a great summer and have an opportunity to spend time outside work to enjoy with family and friends.
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ACC CHARLOTTE MEMBER NEWS | |
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Welcome ACC Charlotte New Members!
March 2022 - May 2022
William Allman, Associate General Counsel, Intapp, Inc.
Erin Ball, Corporate Counsel ā Commercial, CommScope
Robert Barrett, Corporate Counsel, Intapp, Inc.
Elizabeth Blackman, Corporate Counsel, CommScope
Emily Blanton, Corporate Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Trey Crosby, Counsel, Wells Fargo Law Department
Amanda Cutler, Corporate Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Christopher Daniel, Associate General Counsel, Vaya Health
Thomas Davis, Senior General Attorney, TTX Company
Darcel Dillard, Sr. Business & Corporate Compliance Counsel, SPX Corporation
Brittany Dorman, Senior Counsel, RAI Services Company
Josiah Garton, Senior Corporate Counsel, Compass Group USA, Inc.
Kara Goode, Director Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Nicole Gray, Corporate Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Alison Hansen, Senior Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Mark Heekin, Senior Counsel, Retail Business Services, LLC
Anthony Hernandez, Senior Corporate Counsel, CommScope
Genaro Hernandez, Legal Counsel, Alpek Polyester
Daniel Johnson, Commercial Counsel, Blend Labs, Inc.
Francis Jurovich, Associate General Counsel, Vaya Health
Ruth Anne Lanka, Counsel, Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Kevin McCoy, Corporate Counsel, Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Bridget Mendrygal, Staff Counsel, Midland Credit Management, Inc.
Barrett Morris, Assistant General Counsel, SVP, Regions Financial Corporation
Angela Reier, Assistant General Counsel, Strategy, Raytheon Technologies
Brad Serwin, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Compass, Inc.
Jennifer Wilkinson, Senior Counsel, Paymentus Corporation
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New Member Lunch
Sponsored by Parker Poe - 4/1/22
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Thank you to Parker Poe for joining us to welcome our new members to ACC Charlotte over lunch at Brewers at 4001 Yancey. Great food and conversation was enjoyed by all!
Thank you to Parker Poe for sponsoring this event.
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Thank you to our members that have joined us as we've eased back to in person events. We appreciate you all bearing with us during this time and are so thankful to see smiling faces again!
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GENERAL COUNSEL ROUNDTABLE | |
Sponsored by Parker Poe - 5/19/22 | |
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General Counsel members gathered with Parker Poe attorneys at Quail Hollow Club to discuss what formerly was primarily the focus of public companies but is now at the forefront of all organizations. Environmental Social Governance, or ESG, issues are central to all aspects of a companyās long-term strategies and daily operations, including climate change, diversity, Russian ties, and cybersecurity.
Thank you to the GC Steering Committee:
Stacy Gray, CTE
John Grupp, Arrival
John Seymour, MSS Solutions
Tricia Thompkins, Shoe Show
Thank you to Parker Poe for sponsoring this event.
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Manufacturing Affinity Group Event:
Red, Red Wine...and White and RosƩ
Sponsored by Shumaker - 4/21/22
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Attendees enjoyed an "evening in the South of France" with wines from the Rhone, imported by Charlotteās own Eric Solomon and European Cellars. Our members were hosted by Shumaker attorneys and enjoyed camaraderie, chased with great wines and delicious hors dāoeuvres at Mereās on Park Road.
Thank you to Shumaker for sponsoring this event.
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New to In House: Mix and Learn
Sponsored by Parker Poe - 5/12/22
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New to In House members gathered for connections and wisdom-sharing over food and drink pairings at the Goodyear House in NoDa. Participants created new connections, deepened relationships with ACC members, and learned from each other via TED Talks and conversation while enjoying sips and small plates.
TED Talk presentations included:
Nicole Brunson (Arrival) ā Listening and not feeling like you need to pretend to know everything
Keith Atkinson (Nuveen) ā The importance of being flexible and taking on new challenges
Megan Scholz (BofA) ā What I Did Wrong My First Years In-House (and still succeeded inspite of myself)
Please Note: All ACC members are welcome to join the New to In-house (NIH) Affinity Group which was formed in 2020 to provide formal and informal mentoring and to exchange best practices for in-house attorneys. Experienced in-house attorneys (5+ years in-house experience) and attorneys that are new to in-house roles (< 5 yearsā experience in-house) are encouraged to gather as we get to know one another, create formal and informal mentoring, facilitate connectivity and deepen in-house relationships.
ļ»æThank you to Parker Poe for sponsoring this event.
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Community Service Event: Dress for Success
Sponsored by Poyner Spruill - 6/7/22
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ACC Charlotte members and Poyner Spruill attorneys joined together to volunteer sorting and tagging clothing at Charlotte's chapter of Dress for Success. The event kicked off with a happy hour and networking with delicious food and cocktails.
Former Poyner Spruill attorney and beloved colleague, the late Cheslie Kryst (Miss USA 2019), fully supported the Dress for Success mission and was heavily involved in the organization. Our members were proud to honor her memory by supporting this important organization. Dress for Success helps empower women in our community to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
ļ»æThank you to Poyner Spruill for sponsoring this event.
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Women's Event: Virtual Murder Mystery
Sponsored by Fox Rothschild - 4/28/22
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āIt's time for your high school reunion... Everyone is having a great time and reliving some old memories when one of your classmates ends up missing and you are all mysteriously locked in the gymnasium... Foul play is suspected and someone is leaving taunting notes...Your team will have 1 hour to help identify the mastermind behind this and escape the room in time, before they strike again.ā
Professional virtual event company CourseHorse split our members into mini teams (4-6 people) to work together to solve the case. Groups were presented evidence in the form of character descriptions, virtual maps, and mini-games. These challenges uncovered clues that helped to solve the case.
ļ»æThank you to Fox Rothschild for sponsoring this event.
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It's Tee Time! at Puttery
Sponsored by Littler - 5/24/22
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ACC Charlotte members and Littler attorneys gathered at the new Puttery for a round of 9 holes, curated culinary offerings and inventive craft cocktails - plus great conversation with even better company! Puttery puts a modern spin on putting, re-defining the game within an immersive experience and innovative technology.
ļ»æThank you to Littler for sponsoring this event.
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Chopped Challenge at Chef Alyssa's Kitchen
Sponsored by Fox Rothschild - 6/14/22
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The Chopped Challenge at Chef Alyssaās was even more fun than our members remembered! Our chapter participated in a Chopped Challenge in 2020 but this year's competition was a bit tougher! There was a tie after the first round but eventually one team won it all... Congratulations to our members Heather White, Marisa Spicer, Drew Slabaugh, Nicole Ramsdell, and Emily Storment who won with a curry tofu dish!
ļ»æThank you to Fox Rothschild for sponsoring this event.
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Employee Retention Strategies
Sponsored by Jackson Lewis - 4/5/22
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This virtual CLE touched on what experts are referring to as the āGreat Resignation.ā Presenters explained what can be legally done to keep employees, what tactics are risky and what competitors are doing. The seminar addressed the current state of employment law as it applies to employersā efforts to keep and retain employees.
Thank you to Jackson Lewis for sponsoring this event.
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Cryptocurrency Bootcamp for Lawyers
Sponsored by McGuireWoods - 4/19/22
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This virtual presentation provided an introduction to the legal and regulatory issues involving cryptocurrencies and other digital assets for corporate counsel, including a primer on the various types of digital assets. It also addressed the shifting landscape of regulatorsā views on cryptocurrency, and how this could impact companies in unexpected ways, even for those not in the financial industry. Discussion topics included potential legal issues implicated by accepting cryptocurrency for payment and leasing space to miners, and investment, licensing, cybersecurity, and tax issues involving cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.
Thank you to McGuireWoods for sponsoring this event.
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More (and New) Internal Complaints, More Investigations, and More Risk:
Are You Prepared?
Sponsored by Ogletree Deakins - 4/26/22
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With our rapidly changing cultural and political landscape, employers are receiving more complex internal complaints, such as allegations of systemic discrimination, cultural misconduct, and unconscious bias. Shoddy investigations of these complaints have significant ramifications for employers such as protracted litigation, PR nightmares, and low employee morale. This virtual session addressed the new wave of internal complaints, how to effectively investigate them and, most importantly, when to step away from a complaint and contact outside counsel.
Thank you to Ogletree Deakins for sponsoring this webinar.
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When You Need a "Pound of Cure:" Insurance for Data Privacy Risks
Sponsored by Bradley - 5/3/22
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Even the most prudent organization may experience a data breach. Fortunately, cyber and privacy insurance is commercially available for many of the exposures associated with a breach, including remedial measures, liability, regulatory fines, and defense of regulatory proceedings and litigation. This program discussed the basics of cyber and privacy insurance, including key coverages, limitations, and exclusions, reviewed recent case law developments, and discussed best practices for insurance procurement and submission of claims.
Thank you to Bradley for sponsoring this event.
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Attorney-Client Privilege from the In House Perspective
Sponsored by Robinson Bradshaw - 5/3/22
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This presentation reviewed the principles governing attorney-client privilege with a special focus on issues relevant to in-house legal departments. Topics included understanding the attorney-client relationship in the organizational context, considering what protections must be in place for a communication to qualify as privileged, examining how the privilege works when in-house counsel have business and legal responsibilities, and waiver issues. The program also included practice pointers for in-house counsel looking to understand and protect the attorney-client privilege within their organizations.
Following this CLE, our members enjoyed networking and delicious food and cocktails!
Thank you to Robinson Bradshaw for sponsoring this event.
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2022 Employment Law Update
Sponsored by Parker Poe - 6/1/22
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While the Covid-19 pandemic has played a large role in the workplace over the past couple of years, important developments in the employment law world have continued to occur. Presenters reviewed the changes and developments that have occurred over the past year, including key employment law decisions from the United States Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the North Carolina appellate courts. They also examined a number of the shifts in the regulatory landscape, including changes in interpretations and policies made by the various federal agencies that regulate the workplace. As often occurs when the office of President changes parties, there are corresponding changes in the regulatory arena. Those changes have begun to cycle through the system. The presentation highlighted some of these shifts by the agencies that oversee the laws governing the workplace.
With shifting regulatory guidance, legal interpretations and applications of new and existing laws, corporate counsel and HR professionals have their plates full in trying to stay abreast of the latest issues that will impact their workplace. Some of these issues are driven by court decisions and agency actions, while others have been thrust to the forefront by the āGreat Resignationā and a tight labor market. This presentation stressed that employers must be increasingly nimble and ready to adapt in order to comply with employment laws and regulations, while competing for new talent and retaining existing employees.
Thank you to Parker Poe for sponsoring this event.
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The Perfect Storm: Inflation, Commodity Prices, Interest Rates...
Will Insolvencies Follow?
Sponsored by Shumaker - 6/16/22
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Presenters:
David Conaway, Partner, Shumaker
Dennis O'Brien, Deputy General Counsel, Maersk
Rich Sedory, General Counsel, Wastequip
Edward Sanz, Managing Partner, ABTV
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With the spiraling prices, supply chain disruptions, building inventories, and higher interest rates, will suppliers be faced with extended payment terms, and customer and supply chain insolvencies. What can companies do to anticipate problems and mitigate risk? This presentation answered this question and more. Attendees also enjoyed delicious food and drink at Myers Park Country Club
Thank you to Shumaker for sponsoring this webinar.
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Managing Corporate Victimhood
Sponsored by Kilpatrick Townsend - 6/21/22
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In this one-hour presentation at Legion Brewing in South Park, partners on Kilpatrickās Government Enforcement & Investigations team shared their perspective regarding some of the most challenging issues that arise when a company is harmed by complex criminal activity. Drawing on their experience assisting corporate clients in a variety of scenarios, including where significant financial harm has been inflicted on the corporation internally by an employee or employees, or externally by a third-party, they discussed ways in which corporate victimhood can be resolved in the most advantageous way possible while avoiding common but dangerous pitfalls. They addressed topics such as internal investigations to understand and remediate criminal activity, and cooperation with law enforcement to assist in the prosecution of wrongdoers. The CLE helped to illuminate the path for any attorney given the daunting task of managing corporate victimhood.
Thank you to Kilpatrick Townsend for sponsoring this webinar.
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The contents of this newsletter are intended to convey general information only and not to provide legal advice or opinions. The contents of this newsletter should not be relied upon for legal or tax advice in any particular circumstance or fact situation. The information presented may not reflect the most current legal developments. No action should be taken in reliance on the information and we disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this site to the fullest extent permitted by law. An attorney should be contacted for advice on specific legal issues.
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