In-house Counsel Forum

"In-house Counsel Forum" is a quarterly dinner meeting/ discussion forum for In-house attorneys of corporations, generally with annual revenues between $100 million and $5 billion+, including General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers and Deputy, Associate and Assistant General Counsel. Almost 200 senior In-house counsel have attended since our first meeting in 2008, with many joining us regularly. A typical dinner discussion group has a senior In-house attorney leading the discussion on an important topic of interest, with approximately 15 to 25 In-house Attorneys attending. We also typically issue 2 CLE credits for each meeting.

For more information contact Lou Halstead at  lhalstead @acg.org PLEASE NOTE: If you are qualified to attend this forum, please register via the link in the email invitation or email lhalstead @acg.org. This event is invitation-only and therefor the registration link is not public on the website.

Testimonials:
          "One of the major benefits of the In-House Counsel Forum is the opportunity to discuss with in-house colleagues legal topics and trends important to in house counsel in an informal, collegial environment that supports and encourages wide ranging discussion and review of such issues." Bill Schlimbach, Vice-President, Secretary and Deputy General Counsel, J.M.Huber Corporation

     "There are few opportunities for in house attorneys to come together to discuss their work in a laid back, informal setting. The In-House Counsel Forum gives us just this kind of opportunity. At each meeting, there is time for both informal chat as well as structured topics presented by some of the best legal minds in the state. The focus usually is on issues and topics of most concern to the in house counsel and the presenters are typically in house attorneys. Thus the perspectives often differ from those in typical legal seminars, which tend to focus on law firm practice and issues. And the food is about the best Italian food I have had in New Jersey! I look forward to every meeting."  Nick DeFabrizio, Chief Counsel, CIT Communications, Media and Entertainment Group.

"The atmosphere is informal; the quality of discussions is high. I get something out of every session. And the food is great!" Mark Decker, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, The Connell Company

Value proposition: This exclusive, strictly peer-to-peer, meeting is an excellent forum for corporate In-house attorneys to share experiences and best practices with a transactional focus while developing relationships in a convenient, enjoyable and relaxing setting.

Attendees: Prior attendees of the forum include Mark Decker, General Counsel, The Connell Company; Nick DeFabrizio, Chief Counsel Communications Media and Entertainment, CIT Group; Maria DeLoughry, Senior Counsel and Information Technology Counsel, Sealed Air Corporation; Michael McDonald, Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Greg Mulligan, General Counsel and Company Secretary, Evonik Degussa Corporation; Jens Obermueller, Vice President and General Counsel US, Symrise, Inc.; Henry Sacco, Chief Legal Officer, Brother International Corporation; Bill Schlimbach, VP, Secretary and Deputy General Counsel, J.M. Huber Corporation; Nick Spinelli, Associate General Counsel and Vice President, Atlas Copco North America LLC .

The In-house Counsel Forum is hosted by ACG NJ and is kindly supported by Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN), EisnerAmper LLP, Gibbons and Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C.

Upcoming In-house forum: February 26, 2025

The Role That In-House Counsel Can Play to Increase DE&I Efforts of Outside Counsel

At this session, the speakers will discuss common misconceptions about DE&I efforts in the legal community. Participants will also learn about the demographic statistics in the legal profession, the current legal landscape following the Supreme Court’s decision in the Students for Fair Admission case, and how in-house counsel can help improve diversity for outside counsel.

About the Speakers

Robert L. Johnson
Chief Diversity Officer & Director, Corporate Group, Gibbons P.C.

Mr. Johnson, a corporate attorney focusing on mergers and acquisitions, and a former Assistant Counsel to the Governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2012, relies on his corporate training and experience to inform his comprehensive corporate practice. As Chief Diversity Officer of Gibbons P.C., Mr. Johnson is responsible for overseeing the Gibbons Diversity Initiative (GDI), developing and supporting various platforms to promote and achieve a broadly inclusive workforce and workplace through ethnic, gender, and other forms of diversity. He also is an advocate for reform to State procurement laws to address disparities in public contracting opportunities for minority and women owned businesses, highlighted by State commissioned disparity studies. He earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Linda M. Lee
Co-Chair Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee & Shareholder, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, PC

Linda Lee is a Shareholder in the Environmental Practice Group of Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, PC. She is also the founder and Chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Linda is a graduate of Rutgers Law School-Newark where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Rutgers Law Review, member of the Moot Court Board, and part of the Minority Student Program. Following law school, Linda was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Marianne Espinosa in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey.

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES? Contact Lou Halstead (lhalstead@acg.org) or Diane McLevy (dmclevy@acg.org) to learn more.
Click on the following link to view the ACG NJ In-house Sponsors Package:

ACG NJ In-House Sponsorship Package