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Upcoming Events
See what's happening
in the coming weeks.
| 06.08.23 | ACC STL CLE: Corporate Counsel: Using Government Affairs for Risk Mitigation - 4:30 - 6:00pm CDT - followed by happy hour on the patio - Husch Blackwell's new office at 8001 Forsyth Blvd. - Suite 1500 - 63105 - 1.2 hrs. MO CLE/Including 0.6 hrs. of Ethics - Register | 06.15.23 | Getting to Know the Pro Bono Committee - 5:30 - 7:30pm CDT - Felix's Pizza Pub - 6401 Clayton Ave. - 63139 - Register | 6.20.23 | ACC STL CLE: - 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT - Distribution Disputes & Licensing Lessons at Flemings Steakhouse 1855 S Lindbergh Blvd - Frontenac 63131 - 1.2 hrs. MO CLE - Register | 6.28.23 | I'm New to In-House, Now What? A Roadmap to Success as a Corporate Attorney - 4:30 - 5:00pm CLE Check-In and Networking / 5:00 - 6:00pm Program / 6:00 - 7:00pm - Reception and Tours / Anheuser Busch Visitor Center - 1200 Lynch Street - 63118 - 1.2 hrs. MO CLE - Register | |  |
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The ACC and St. Louis Business Journal Recognize Top In-House Counsel with 2023
Corporate Counsel Awards
The ACC STL, in collaboration with the St. Louis Business Journal, will honor the outstanding achievements of the region's top in-house counsel through the esteemed "Corporate Counsel Awards." This partnership, spanning over a decade, continues to recognize and celebrate legal excellence within the corporate landscape.
The 2023 Corporate Counsel Awards, presented by the St. Louis Business Journal, are designed to showcase the best and brightest legal minds in the region. Acknowledging professionals at various levels of the corporate legal department, these awards encompass in-house generalists, specialists, chief legal officers, and general counsel from nonprofit organizations, as well as public or private companies of all sizes and industries.
This year's award recipients have demonstrated expertise in critical areas such as mergers and acquisitions, compliance, and human resources. As the role of in-house counsel continues to evolve, these honorees have seamlessly integrated themselves into their respective company's overall strategy, exemplifying versatility, and adaptability.
A distinguished panel of ACC STL members, in collaboration with the Business Journal's esteemed editorial team, selected the recipients of the 2023 Corporate Counsel Awards. Through a rigorous evaluation process, the honorees were chosen for their exceptional contributions to the corporate counsel field.
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2023 Corporate Counsel Institute attendees, speakers and vendors | |
Much-Needed Clarification: Canada Sheds New Light on Proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act in Companion Document | |
By: Wendy Wagner, Partner - Ottawa; Catilin Schropp, Associate - Ottawa;
Antoine Guilman, Associate - Montreal
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Recognizing the many sources of uncertainty in the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act ("AIDA"), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada recently offered important insight and clarity into the Government's intended approach to artificial intelligence (AI) regulation. Much of the uncertainty to date is attributable to the fact that the specific AI systems subject to the AIDA, along with the measures the legislation will impose, are to be defined through regulation at a later point in time.
In light of those unknowns, a companion document published on March 13, 2023 aims to "reassure actors in the AI ecosystem in Canada that the aim of the AIDA is not to entrap good faith actors or to chill innovation, but to regulate the most powerful uses of this technology that pose the risk of harm."
Building on this pledge, the document makes clear that "the Government intends to take an agile approach that will not stifle responsible innovation or needlessly single out AI developers, researchers, investors or entrepreneurs." It offers several assurances in support of these objectives:
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ACC Saint Louis members gathered together on Thursday, May 18th
to take part in a member social activity at
Painting with a Twist
in Brentwood, Missouri!
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The Supreme Court Decision
Relating to the "Dormant" Commerce Clause
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By: Evan Z. Reid
The question of whether and how courts will deal with legal issues associated with advances in technology is a perennial one, with courts always seeming to lag well behind the pace of innovation. In twin May 18th opinions, the Supreme Court avoided potentially thorny issues of technology and immunity in the two cases of Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh and Gonzalez v. Google LLC. Arising from instances of international terrorism and the use of Twitter and Google by terrorists committing those crimes, the cases had originally been expected to scrutinize Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which immunizes internet platforms from liability for content posted by users. Instead of considering whether the platforms were immune for claims arising from videos posted by terrorists, the opinion in the lead case, Taamneh, focused on whether the plaintiffs had stated a claim under 18 U.S.C. § 2333(d), which permits lawsuits against “any person who aids and abets, by knowingly providing substantial assistance, or who conspires with the person who committed such an act of international terrorism.”
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Meet Our 2023 ACC St. Louis Summer Interns! | |
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Name: Bhavya Arora
From: New York
School: Washington University School of Law
Internship Placement: Charter Communications
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A. My ultimate goal after passing the bar is to do litigation; I fell in love with the trial aspect of the law when I did high school mock trial. During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to work at a boutique firm that focused on litigation; this opportunity further solidified my love for the law. Working on building cases for trial doesn’t feel like actual work, it’s something that I genuinely enjoy doing; that’s how I know I want to become a lawyer.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A. My dad has been my biggest influence in my journey. He is certainly the hardest-working person I know; my goal is to make him proud and eventually retire him.
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Name: Andre'a Charles
From: Chelles, France
School: Washington University School of Law
Internship Placement: Washington University's Office of the Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: Before going to college, I thought of going to law school. It was only after taking logic classes in philosophy classes that I truly believed that law school would be a good fit. I loved tackling intellectually challenging work. In addition, going to law school meant I could use my skills to help others. As an international student, I observed how populations issued from immigration struggle to find legal counsel. By going to law school, I hope to be a resource and volunteer so I can bring a positive impact on my environment.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My parents inspire me because of their wisdom, strength, and perseverance. They have been supportive during my journey in the United States. I know my parents are proud of me and thrilled that I am participating in the ACC program!
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Name: D’Andre Gaye
From: Thomasville, NC
School: Saint Louis University School of Law
Internship Placement: Rabo Diversified Services
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I am pursuing a career as a lawyer because I believe that this profession presents the best opportunity for me to grow into the version of myself that aligns with my conception of advocacy. Coming from a family of migrants, I became aware of many complexities within our current legal system from a very young age. This awareness sparked my interest in learning more about the law and discovering how I can practice advocacy to help others. My definition of advocacy is unique in that it entails not just being a voice for others, but empowering them to speak their truths and providing the resources they need to accomplish their legal goals. I believe that becoming a lawyer is what will allow me to fulfill these values and pursue challenges that will help me grow as a person.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My greatest influence has always been my family. Throughout my life, they consistently stressed the importance of pushing myself to pursue opportunities for self-betterment since many people may never get the chance due to all kinds of societal barriers like citizenship or socioeconomic status. Particularly during moments of self-doubt, they reminded me that I was capable of accomplishing a lot with the opportunities in front of me. Moreover, learning their experiences allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for the ability I have to be able to pursue my aspirations. It is this that pushes me each day to pursue a path of greater victory for myself and my communities.
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Name: Latianna Johnson
From: St. Louis
School: Saint Louis University School of Law
Internship Placement: Bunzl
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I knew I wanted to be a lawyer at a very young age. I grew up in a community with many issues such as high poverty rates and lack of educational resources. This encouraged me to pick a career that I felt was secure and one that allowed me to give back to my community. As I got older and saw a lot of discrepancies in the legal field it encouraged me even more. These are a few reasons why I want to become a lawyer and the more I learn about the law, the more intrigued I am in practicing it.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My mentors, coaches, and academic advisors have been a major influence on me throughout my academic journey. Being a first-generation college graduate, I didn’t have many people to help with school things and my mentors always made sure to help me by connecting me to the right people and giving me proper advice for getting where I am today.
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Name: Ozoda Saburi
From: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
School: University of Missouri School of Law
Internship Placement: Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: Lawyers tend to be busy and have massive workloads. I enjoy work that allows me to stay occupied and resolve issues in the most unique and strategic ways. People listen to lawyers—and lawyers must listen to clients, judges, and advisors in order to make the best decisions. Throughout my life, I have learned many people are unaddressed because they are not heard. As an attorney, I want to be able to use my voice and know that I will be heard.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My grandmother is a major influence and inspiration. She taught me that strength is not displayed. Strength is demonstrated through diligence, respect, hard work, and resilience.
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Name: Zai Li
From: China
School: Washington University School of Law
Internship Placement: Bayer Corp Science
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I worked as an investment analyst before I was in law school, at that time I dealt with lawyers quite often. We hired lawyers to conduct legal due diligence, and to help us manage risks in M&A cases. Lawyers are quite professional and logically rigorous. I want to be such a person. Besides, I am really interested in intellectual property law. As a medical student, I used to know only that we could patent a drug’s chemical structure, so it’s quite a surprise when I learned that we could even patent a drug’s implication or a tiny trait.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: I always believe in myself and persuade myself that I could do whatever I want. Maybe this kind of psychological suggestion constitutes a big influence on me. It’s a huge transition for me to switch my career in medicine to investment, then to law, but every time I encourage myself to brave the challenges.
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Sandra J. Wunderlich, Partner at Tucker Ellis, LLP, and Beverly A. Garner, Associate General Counsel at Bunge, (shown below) co-presented the May 24th ACC St. Louis CLE program entitled Challenges and Strategies for Preserving Privilege When In-House Counsel Serves in a Dual Role. This enriching and socially enjoyable presentation by Tucker Ellis, LLP, took place at the Missouri Botanical Garden, where a stroll through the 'Chihuly in the Garden 2023 Exhibit' set the perfect tone for the event. | | | | |
