2008 Annual Conference

Fred Krebs, ACC President,
Ruth Steinholtz, Borealis Group,
James Jackson, Philip Morris International
Herb Riband, Medtronic International
Kevin Doolan, Eversheds

This is a session dedicated to the GC as a leader and manager in a global setting. It will involve a series of interventions from experienced GC's on each of the topics set out below, emphasizing why each topic is important, and making suggestions on how to develop the relevant talent/skills and what is required to fill the various roles.

Topics will include the GC as;

• People Manager/Coach and Mentor/Team Developer
• Manager of the Business of the Legal Department: Financial and Budgetary Management/Strategist/Marketer
• Service Provider to the Businesses - Prioritising the Work
• Member of Executive Team: Business Developer and Business Partner in the wider arena

Michael Nelson, Legal Counsel, Royal Bank of Canada

Hedge Funds make headlines. The failure of a hedge fund in August 2007 may have precipitated the "credit crunch". What is a hedge fund? What makes it different from other investment funds (mutual funds)? Are they buying your company's shares? Is part of your pension invested in a hedge fund?  Learn how to sell something you don't even own, and other financial and strategic basics of hedge funds, so you can drop the phrase "How does your hedge fund achieve alpha?" into conversation.

Denise Hamer, Director & Counsel, Fixed Income Legal, Citigroup Global Markets Limited

This introduction to Sovereign Wealth Funds will focus on their characteristics, their growing importance in all sectors, their role in the current global financial crisis, and their future as key market players.

Henning Oppermann, Senior Counsel, Deere & Company European Office
Alejandro Ferreres Comella, Uría Menéndez

The EU Product Liability Directive has lead to harmonization, but not uniformity among Member States. The risks of being held liable for product defaults are increasing and now include personal liability, as well as criminal sanctions.

This session will specifically address the differentiation between civil law and public safety regulations/product standards (EU regulations, industry standards, etc.) as sources for product liability, as well as product liability arising from contracts and the possibilities to limit this liability. Further topics include:

• Instruction obligations
• Product surveillance and recall
• Personal liability of employees and management
• Quality assurance agreements.

Chris Groves, Turner Broadcasting Systems
Tony Wales, AOL International
Robert Sandoval, Solar Turbines/Caterpillar
Jeff Haidet, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

This session covers the choice of outside counsel and the management of the relationship. Key questions on choice include national versus international firms, "horses for courses" or the "whole stable". The panel of GC's with outside counsel representation will also look at managing the relationship including, setting expectations, education, fee arrangements (fixed, capped, retainers, uplifts etc), budgeting and financial reporting. In-house counsel's role as the client, "directing the movie?"

Axel Viaene, Starbucks
Wilma Lloyd-Schut, LyondellBasell
Hanno Sorg, LyondellBasell
Jean Michel Mir, Capstan

In addition to providing the participants with a crisp overview of the legal framework for setting up and managing a European Works Council, this session provides you with concrete project management guidelines, using real life examples, on how to set up such a body and make it work.  We will be talking about how to make this work against the background of your company culture.  This session will also address the interplay between the European Works Council and national works councils.  

Joëlle Simon, MEDEF - French Business Confederation
Daniel Harvey, Deere & Company
Tom McQuail, Howrey LLP

Europe is slowly (but surely?) moving toward access to the courts for individuals with identical or similar claims against the same defendants. At the same time, European norms and legal practices, particularly relating to the funding of collective cases, are the subject of discussions in individual Member States and on the EU level. Join this panel for an insider's view of the government policy discussions, as well as steps you can take to anticipate developments.

Sergio Redondo, Coca Cola Iberia
Manuel Crespo, Telefonica
Antonio Creus, Bird & Bird

This session should explore the amazing business potential of a country such as Spain for the European and international panorama. In recent years Spain has undergone significant growth, above the average of its neighboring countries and demonstrating that it enjoys a stable base and a driving economy. This has provoked the entry of multiple multinationals in Spain. These companies view this country as a good terrain for implementing their development strategies. One important goal of this presentation is to analyze various existing stereotypes of what Spain is and to attempt to reflect the reality of the Spanish market and the immense possibilities of this country.

Moderators:
John Lowe, Qioptiq
Orijit Das, GENPACT

This session should explore the participants' experiences as members (or not) of Executive Boards and discuss the various roles that they carry out in this regard.  (Risk manager, advisor, problem solver, negotiator).   

Moderators:
Andrew Holmes, Turner Broadcasting Systems
Aurea Garrido, Turner Broadcasting Systems

This session will look from the in-house counsel point of view at the challenges of dealing with copyright issues in a truly international environment were time is critical. It will involve examples of different types of copyright works and related rights including broadcasting and copyright enforcement for a number of European jurisdictions and US.

503 – WORKSHOP – How to read financial statements

Ricardo Noreña, Ernst & Young FIDS Spain
Michael Nelson, Legal Counsel, Royal Bank of Canada

Joren de Wachter, FRSGlobal
Willem Leppink, Simmons & Simmons
Michael Sinclair, Simmons & Simmons

This workshop will talk about the interaction between three essential parts of any technology business: the technology (and its lifecycle), the different Intellectual Property Rights that exist or may arise at every part of the value chain, and how these can or should affect or determine the different business models used by the business. Special attention will be given to the role of internal legal counsel in this process.  Topics include:

• Open Source Software (Michael Sinclair)
• Global IP Strategies in the Technologies Sector (Willem Leppink)
• Technology, IPR and business models (Joren De Wachter)

Moderator: Chris Hammer, McDonald’s Corporation

506 – ROUND TABLE – Cultural aspects of implementing a global compliance programme

Moderators:
Francisco Hernández-Castillo, Tyco International
Leanne Gaele, Shell International B.V.
Stephan Grüninger, Ernst & Young AG Germany

David Lever and Team, Bi-Jingo!

Using scripted scenarios or a living case study, this session will enable leaders to explore how the key behaviours which are important to a leadership role  meet the tangible targets the business has set for themselves and the people they lead.

During this engaging and interactive 90 minutes attendees will get a clear understanding of:

• How to get their presentation off to a good start
• How to handle questions
• How to get the best out of their voice
• How to physically engage with their audience

Moderator:
Stephen Sharpley, Xcell Dynamics Ltd.
Ruth Steinholtz, Borealis Group

Nuts and Bolts of Team Building - This workshop will give you an opportunity to personally experience some of the exercises used to build a team, and discuss the dynamics of team development over time.

Axel Viaene, Starbucks
Dirk Tirez, The Belgian Post
Paul Nielsen, McKesson Information Solutions UK Limited
Mathias Schulze Steinen, Simmons & Simmons

Your Head of Business Development just walked in your office and passionately presented his ambitious expansion plans for the future.  This session will provide you with practical tips on how to position yourself as a lawyer in strategic cross-functional projects. It will give you recommendations and guidance with respect to legal and organizational pitfalls to watch during such projects and will help you calibrate your role as legal counsel on a broader transactional team.

Ruth Steinholtz, Borealis Group
Peter Connor, Citrix Systems International GmbH
Elizabeth Wall, Elizabeth Wall Partners International
Stephen Sharpley, Xcell Dynamics Ltd

This session will explore practical ways in which to develop your management and leadership ability, with a particular focus on leadership. Motivated lawyers and a cohesive team do not just happen by accident, you have to actively and deliberately create them. The Round Table format of this session will provide the ideal forum for an interactive exchange.

Enrique Factor, Spanish Data Protection Agency
Yves Heijmans, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company

This session explores the problematic area of data protection and privacy of employees as well as customers in an international business. From a legal standpoint, it is clear that personal data must be protected against improper uses, including unsolicited marketing. Technology and globalization of functions present great challenges in implementing strict controls on data handling, as demonstrated this year by the UK Government's loss of personal data. This session will shed some light on the dark side of data protection, focussing on international movements of data within multinational companies.

Irina Piazzoli, Philip Morris Italia
Gabriella Porcelli, Pfizer Italia SrL
Philip B. Taub, Nixon Peabody LLP

In complex and competitive industries, joint ventures can be used to combine the knowledge and skills of one party with the financial resources of another. This session will provide a substantive, yet practical, overview of the issues in creating and managing a joint venture, starting with the advantages of a contractual, or "paper", JV vs an equity JV or "corporate" entity. Particularly interesting will be an update on administrative and criminal liability of legal entities in Europe in light of recent developments "piercing the corporate veil". This session will cover challenges for joint ventures and other special purpose vehicles in today's business environment, including:

• Practical experiences and best practices for structuring the arrangement
• Measuring and monitoring the impact of competition law on JVs
• Governance and compliance in light of the long reach of the FCPA and SOX
• Anticipating and addressing potential areas of dispute

Dan Fitz, Misys plc
Enrique Aznar, Tyco International

This session is about developing a Legal Department Strategy:

• Financial management of the legal department, including the importance of budget and business plan preparation.
• The use of "finance speak" to better compete for scarce resources (analysis, benchmarking, metrics)
• Resource planning - tools for looking ahead and developing the right resources at the right time - being proactive rather than reactive
• Prioritising - how to implement it in your department  

Joren de Wachter, FRSGlobal
Sabine Brumme, BearingPoint GmbH
Maria Cédo, Jausas

One or more parties come into the joint venture already owning intellectual property (‘Background IP’). This may consist of patent applications, but it could include unpatented inventions, trade secrets and know-how. IP owners need to protect ownership of their property, but often provisions establishing that each party retains ownership of its Background IP are not enough to avoid disputes and maximize value of a partnership where IP counts, the contract must  address  and clarify ownership and  exploitment of the relevant rights, as well as the effect on any inventions made during the course of the joint venture project. Also relationships with employees contributing to creating and developing IP should be carefully disciplined.

Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio, Sogecable
Miriam Longchamp, MLA Global Legal Search Consultants
Nick Macrae, Warner Brothers Digital Distribution
Catherine Fox, ACC Europe

This is a session aimed at in-house counsel at all levels, but of particular relevance to aspiring GC's. Senior counsel and GC's will talk about their experience and observations on what it takes to be successful, and conversely how promising careers can be stalled or even derailed. The importance of emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity and mentoring will be explored, but particular emphasis will be put on practical "do's and don'ts" for in-house counsel.