InhouseBlog.com http://www.inhouseblog.com In-House Counsel News and Jobs Since 2005 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:54:48 +0000 en hourly 1 40.505253-74.507234Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounselhttp://feedburner.google.comDifficult boss? Challenges for in-house counselhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/00CUyHC_SIo/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/difficult_boss/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:54:48 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23628 It's no secret that bosses can be difficult people. So why would in-house counsel think they are immune from having one? On the flip side, if you supervise others, have you ever been surprised to learn that your direct reports consider you to be difficult (and you don’t)?Being “difficult” can be in the eye of the beholder, with many shades and meanings. It can be good for direct reports and the organization, when change requires a forceful approach. When a supervising attorney is a "bad boss," it can have disastrous consequences.If you're a difficult boss, consider these strategies and reminders:Control your difficult side.Make sure you're in control of your difficult side. It’s one thing to be tough and demanding, to get the best out of your team. But if you have a difficult nature that results from bad habits, you have work to do on improving your own competencies.Be comfortable with your responsibilities.At times, being a tough boss comes with the territory. As leadership authors Hill and Lineback write, it takes “courage to make hard decisions or take tough actions, such as giving difficult feedback, denying a promotion to someone who's good but not good enough, . . . or even laying off people when the economy goes bad.”The First Requirement for Becoming a Great Boss.Candor helps.So while there is no need to apologize (although it might help), be as candid as you can with your team or impacted direct reports. They should appreciate your explanation and openness about the company’s problems, the demands of your job, or a personal issue. Then watch themrise to the occasion.Be clear.If your toughness is directed at changing the competencies of a direct report, make sure you have been clear as to what you're trying to accomplish. Change management is an art-form for which there are few short cuts. If you're at the point that you need to be difficult, your direct report should understand how serious this is. If you’re being passively aggressive because you don’t have the patience for change management, you’re unlikely to succeed.Be "perfectly assertive."With a little fine-tuning, you may be able to turn your difficult nature into the desired competency of assertiveness.As Bob Sutton writes:"Being just assertive enough, while not easy for any boss, is one of the most important features of a good one. . . . the best bosses get the balance right on any given day, and in myriad interactions with their followers, peers, and own bosses."The Delicate Art of Being Perfectly Assertive.It may be you.And then there’s the possibility that your difficult behavior is known to everyone but you. Paraphrasing Bob Sutton, you may have "aflawed and incomplete understanding of what it feels like to work for [you]."12 Things Good Bosses Believe.Seek (and be open to) feedback. Hopefully, your organization or direct reports will have the courage to give you feedback, and you'll be open to it. If you've just received this feedback in a 360 evaluation, take a deep breath and handle it well.Bouncing Back from a Negative 360-Degree Review.If you're not getting that feedback, you may "need courage just to seek" it "and even more to digest and take action based on it."The First Requirement for Becoming a Great Boss. Another good read on this topic isSeeing Yourself as Others See You.You may have some homework to do, but taming your difficult self will go a long way toward your being the best atLeadingInHouse.smThis summary was prepared by Perry Cone and posted at LeadingInHouse.com.Legal Notice and Disclaimer

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Are you a difficult boss? Or do you have one? Read on at LeadingInhouse:

It’s no secret that bosses can be difficult people. So why would in-house counsel think they are immune from having one? On the flip side, if you supervise others, have you ever been surprised to learn that your direct reports consider you to be difficult (and you don’t)? Being “difficult” can be in the eye of the beholder, with many shades and meanings. It can be good for direct reports and the organization, when change requires a forceful approach. When a supervising attorney is a “bad boss,” it can have disastrous consequences.

[via: Difficult boss? Challenges for in-house counsel at LeadingInhouse]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/difficult_boss/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/difficult_boss/ A primer on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/htgvaLOd890/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/cfpb/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:43:43 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23505 Aside from creating a lot of controversy, President Obama’s recess appointment of Richard Cordray as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) left many people asking: What exactly is the CFPB and what does it do?

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Aside from creating a lot of controversy, President Obama’s recess appointment of Richard Cordray as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) left many people asking: What exactly is the CFPB and what does it do?

[via: Regulatory: A primer on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/cfpb/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/cfpb/ Could a GC Have Helped Komen Avoid Planned Parenthood Firestorm?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/Ns6Up2b3plk/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/planned_parenthood_firestorm/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:46:35 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23531 What do organizations like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation gain from the presence of a general counsel before, during, and after a major organizational crisis event?

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What do organizations like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation gain from the presence of a general counsel before, during, and after a major organizational crisis event?

[via: Could a GC Have Helped Komen Avoid Planned Parenthood Firestorm? at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/planned_parenthood_firestorm/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/planned_parenthood_firestorm/ BlackRock GC Robert Connolly announces retirementhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/0PFzDxo1opU/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/robert_connolly/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:47:17 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23504 A new day will soon dawn for the legal department at BlackRock Inc. News broke yesterday that General Counsel Robert Connolly is retiring after 15 years at the money management firm.

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A new day will soon dawn for the legal department at BlackRock Inc. News broke yesterday that General Counsel Robert Connolly is retiring after 15 years at the money management firm.

[via: BlackRock GC announces retirement at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/robert_connolly/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/robert_connolly/ Effective communication skills for in-house counselhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/jLGNaPgfWf4/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/communication_skills/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:30:55 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22921 Communication is an area in which many people feel insecure and could use some help.

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Communication is an area in which many people feel insecure and could use some help.

[via: Effective communication for in-house counsel at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/communication_skills/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/communication_skills/ NBCUniversal Media’s Richard Cotton is a GC in the Limelighthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/CgL6EttEHMQ/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/richard_cotton/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:02:24 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23131 Richard Cotton, the executive vice president and general counsel of NBCUniversal Media, LLC, doesn't mind being the focus of attention.

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Richard Cotton, the executive vice president and general counsel of NBCUniversal Media, LLC, doesn’t mind being the focus of attention.

[via: NBCUniversal Media's Richard Cotton is a GC in the Limelight at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/richard_cotton/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/richard_cotton/ Open Source Software – Risks, Use and Compliance (Free CLE Event from PLC, Feb. 22, 2012)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/NUl0kRRzius/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/open_source_software_free_cle_event/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:23:27 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23418 Open Source Software (“OSS”) is currently pervasive in its use for companies both large and small. Businesses use OSS to develop software rapidly and effectively, whether for their internal systems or for customer-facing products. Although OSS is obtained at no charge, there are significant risks in its usage because if the OSS is not integrated [...]

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Open Source Software (“OSS”) is currently pervasive in its use for companies both large and small. Businesses use OSS to develop software rapidly and effectively, whether for their internal systems or for customer-facing products. Although OSS is obtained at no charge, there are significant risks in its usage because if the OSS is not integrated properly into existing systems, it can “infect” proprietary software, and a company is at risk of losing significant ownership value. This program will address the following:

How is OSS licensed?

Risks in use of OSS.

Procedures to use when introducing OSS into a company’s systems.

How to develop an OSS Compliance Policy.

Documenting OSS usage.

OSS due diligence and representations in mergers, acquisitions and transfers of software assets.

Attendees of the live webinar may receive CLE credit for the following states: CA, IL and NY.*

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Time: 1:00pm- 2:00pm ET (10:00am – 11:00am PT)

Cost: Free

Speakers:
Christopher Palestro
Director and Managing Counsel of IP Transactions
Hewlett-Packard

Richard Raysman
Holland & Knight LLP

Jeffrey R. Seul
Holland & Knight LLP

Paul Connuck (Moderator)
IP & IT Editor
Practical Law Company

*CLE credit for this program will be sought by Holland & Knight, which is an approved CLE provider in Illinois, New York and California. For New York attorneys, the webinar format will not qualify for CLE credit for transitional (newly admitted) attorneys. CLE credit will be available for experienced New York attorneys.

To register, visit the registration page today.

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/open_source_software_free_cle_event/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/open_source_software_free_cle_event/ How to properly handle references for terminated employeeshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/hKCAHbofQ_k/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/how_to_properly_handle_references/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:11:24 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23332 Handling references for former employees is becoming increasingly complicated.

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Handling references for former employees is becoming increasingly complicated.

[via: Labor: How to properly handle references for terminated employees at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/how_to_properly_handle_references/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/how_to_properly_handle_references/ Nonlawyer Ownership Interests in Law Firms Remains an Unsettled Issue for Ethics 20/20 Commissionhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/RQhEkUZWAXQ/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/nonlawyer_ownership_interests/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:29:25 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23311 The ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 still is undecided on whether it will make a recommendation on whether nonlawyers should be allowed to have some form of limited ownership interest in U.S. law firms. In recent months, the commission's work on the issue has focused on what the substance of such a recommendation might be. On Dec. 2, the commission released a discussion paper (PDF) on alternative law practice structures that outlines one possible approach to nonlawyer ownership—but it does not amount to an actual recommendation. The commission also posted initial draft proposals (PDF) on choice-of-law issues affecting fee-sharing when…

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The ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 still is undecided on whether it will make a recommendation on whether nonlawyers should be allowed to have some form of limited ownership interest in U.S. law firms.

[via: Nonlawyer Ownership Interests in Law Firms Remains an Unsettled Issue for Ethics 20/20 Commission at the ABA Journal]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/nonlawyer_ownership_interests/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/nonlawyer_ownership_interests/ Glen Nager, Jones Day Partner, to Lead U.S. Golf Assocationhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/rChJwMAKBuM/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/glen_nager/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:30:52 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23128 After helping usher in new rules of the game, appellate lawyer Glen Nager will assume the presidency Saturday of golf's North American governing body

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After helping usher in new rules of the game, appellate lawyer Glen Nager will assume the presidency of golf’s North American governing body.

[via: Clubhouse Lawyer: Jones Day Partner to Lead U.S. Golf Assocation at the American Lawyer]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/glen_nager/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/glen_nager/ Top 25 U.S. law firms named by brandhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/eIWihD_Qby0/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/top_law_firms_by_brand/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:59:49 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23240 On Wednesday, global legal market research specialist Acritas released its first-ever U.S. Law Firm Brand Index report, which ranks the nation’s top 25 firms by the strength of their brand

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Global legal market research specialist Acritas released its first-ever U.S. Law Firm Brand Index report, which ranks the nation’s top 25 firms by the strength of their brand.

[via: Top 25 U.S. law firms named by brand at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/top_law_firms_by_brand/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/top_law_firms_by_brand/ NLRB in the News – What it Means for the Senate to Be In “Recess”http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/sK_v0LYKooU/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/nlrb/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:12:32 +0000 Guest Contributor http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23225 by Joseph Leonoro, Esq. Steptoe & Johnson PLLC The National Labor Relations Board is no stranger to headlines, and it is once again at the center of a political and constitutional showdown in Washington. At the end of 2011, with the recess appointment of Board member Craig Becker expiring, the NLRB was down to only [...]

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by Joseph Leonoro, Esq.
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

The National Labor Relations Board is no stranger to headlines, and it is once again at the center of a political and constitutional showdown in Washington.

At the end of 2011, with the recess appointment of Board member Craig Becker expiring, the NLRB was down to only two members – less than the quorum (3 of 5 members) it needed to conduct official business. Therefore, on January 4, President Obama made three appointments to the NLRB – Sharon Block, Richard Griffin, and Terence Flynn. Making those appointments seemed simple enough, but at the Board, things are almost never uncontroversial these days.

According to President Obama, the appointments he made were recess appointments and, therefore, did not require Senate confirmation. That matters because – probably not surprisingly – the Senate had previously blocked confirmation of each of the three appointed Board members.

Now, every President since George Washington has exercised his constitutional power to make appointments when the Senate is in recess. This authority stems from a provision in the United States Constitution about that process, dating back to when such appointments were more frequently necessary in the early days of the Republic because the Senate was only in session for short periods and positions needed to be filled. Although the Senate is now in session for a majority of the year, presidents from both political parties have continued to use recess appointments over the years to appoint controversial figures who otherwise would not be confirmed by the Senate – such as in this case.

Not surprisingly, Republicans and pro-business groups have argued that President Obama’s “recess” appointments in January were invalid because the Senate was not in recess when the appointments were made and, in fact, held pro-forma sessions every three days during the Senate’s usual holiday break in order to keep session open. Therefore, according to these groups, the President’s Board appointments must be subject to Senate confirmation before they can be valid. The key question then is whether the Senate was in recess within the meaning of the U.S. Constitution when the appointments were made?

This issue will likely be decided by the courts, inasmuch as the first lawsuit has been filed by the National Federation of Independent Business (and others) to block the appointments. While the issue will not be resolved soon and will likely be determined ultimately by the United States Supreme Court, the matter is significant because if the appointments are later found to be invalid, then the decisions and regulations passed by the NLRB in the interim may be null and void.

Of course, with the Supreme Court already smacking the Board once about 18 months ago in the New Process Steel case for issuing a number of decisions unlawfully without having a proper quorum of members to act, it should be used to going through that process. No matter how you look at it, though, every new dispute at the Board seems stained with an even greater layer of politics than the last one. It is no wonder that there is so much dissatisfaction with the way Washington does business these days.

Joseph Leonoro, Esq. concentrates his practice in matters involving labor and employment law. He practices in the Charleston, WV office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/nlrb/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/nlrb/ Managing a down economy: Individual terminationshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/cpHb0lYW1Gc/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/individual_terminations/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:36:20 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22886 Human resource managers and the legal counsel working with them likely know who the worst performers are at the company.

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Human resource managers and the legal counsel working with them likely know who the worst performers are at the company.

[via: Labor: Managing a down economy: Individual terminations at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/individual_terminations/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/individual_terminations/ Was Penn State’s GC Counsel for University Officials?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/XxPc2UXlh3M/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/penn_states_general_counsel/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:25:42 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23185 In-house lawyers represent the entity that issues their paychecks, not the executives and staff. But as seen in testimony from two Penn State officials, a company's lawyers and constituents can understand the relationship differently.

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In-house lawyers represent the entity that issues their paychecks, not the executives and staff. But as seen in testimony from two Penn State officials, a company’s lawyers and constituents can understand the relationship differently.

[via: Was Penn State's GC Counsel for University Officials? at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/penn_states_general_counsel/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/penn_states_general_counsel/ Lawsuits Against Law Schools over Jobs Data On the Risehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/VTBkGT1Mc4k/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawsuits_against_law_schools/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:57:35 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23105 The number of lawsuits accusing law schools of ”legerdemain”* in their claims about post-graduate employment has quintupled. Three complaints — against Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan, New York Law School and Thomas Jefferson School of Law — were already out there. The schools have moved to dismiss the lawsuits, arguing that they strictly followed American Bar Association rules on job-placement data. David Anziska, who filed the lawsuits in Michigan and New York, teamed with lawyers from seven other law firms to file a dozen more on Wednesday. The list of schools includes Albany Law, Brooklyn Law, Hofstra Law, Widener Law, Florida Coastal, Chicago-Kent, DePaul Law,  John Marshall Law School, California Western, Southwestern, USF Law and Golden Gate. The lawsuits seek tuition refunds. “Our goal is to sue 20 to 25 more schools every few months,” said Anziska. The core allegations are generally the same in each lawsuit: the schools misled plaintiffs by advertising that a high percentage of their graduates were employed. What they didn’t advertise is that a chunk of those graduates were stuck in jobs that don’t require the pricey degree for which they paid. Anziska said the lawsuits Wednesday showed the original cases were more than a mere “curiosity.” “We’ve put in place the architecture to sue,” he said. Anziska said the schools were selected in part because of their location in large cities “with a massive oversupply of lawyers,” where lower-tier graduates are less likely to be competitive in the job market. Some schools were targeted for their size. The first concern, however, was finding multiple graduates from any given school to serve as plaintiffs, he said. Anziska said he drew some inspiration from lawsuits targeting trade schools for similar practices. Last year, Career Education Corp., the parent company of San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy, offered $40 million to settle a class action by former students who claim the cooking school misrepresented its 98% job placement rate. We’ve reached out to the schools, as well as the ABA, for comment. A spokeswoman for Widener said the school “stands by its employment statistics and has provided the American Bar Association, our accrediting body, with truthful and accurate post-graduate employment data.” In a statement, Albany Law School Dean Connie Mayer said students are “well aware of the realities of today’s economy and we believe the information we provide during the admission process does not mislead our applicants, nor differ in standards of reporting from any other law school the applicant may have considered.” *Law Blog Word of the Day

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The number of lawsuits accusing law schools of fudging data in their claims about post-graduate employment has quintupled.

[via: A Dozen Law Schools Hit with Lawsuits over Jobs Data at the WSJ Law Blog]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawsuits_against_law_schools/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawsuits_against_law_schools/ Can in-house counsel help combat fraud?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/BTR6oNW5uGQ/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/combat_fraud/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:51:15 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23064 General counsel in Canadian organizations should think about taking on a greater role in the compliance function to help combat fraud before it takes place, says a forensics expert with KPMG.For years, John Williams, a partner with KPMG LLP based in Calgary has worked with audit committees and boards as well as in-house counsel. “More often than not when we get involved with the GC it’s on a reactive basis because there’s been a problem,” says Williams.Often, it has been a situation when a senor level executive has engaged in some inappropriate behavior such as a form of fraud or other financial misconduct it often involves a call to a forensic accountant. In its recent report, "Who is the typical fraudster?" KPMG looks at patterns in fraud and provides insight based on its analysis of 348 actual investigations, including many cases of financial misreporting.The findings show that globally, board members at divisional, subsidiary, and corporate levels commit nearly one fifth of fraud (18 per cent), and that senior management still accounts for the largest proportion of frauds perpetrated (35 per cent). The profile of a typical fraudster is: male 35 to 55 years of age in a management position with a fairly lengthy tenure and ideally situated to exploit any weaknesses.“The interesting thing that comes out of the survey is that that the primary reason for most frauds occurring continues to be the exploitation of weaknesses in internal controls,” says Williams, noting it is more common to see it happen in private companies. “I’ve seen situations where an employee who has worked for a company for 30 years has stolen millions of dollars from them.”In 2011, some 56 per cent of frauds had exhibited one or more prior red flags but only 10 per cent had been acted on. That means company and public sector employees are failing to respond to warning signs.Williams says he can see Canadian in-house counsel following on a trend that’s been developing in the United States in which general counsel are working more closely with internal audit functions, compliance executives, and monitoring officers.Large corporations in the U.S. are setting up compliance officers in cities where they have major subsidiaries. “My sense is that for the most part the people who are now fulfilling those roles are lawyers,” he says.Those lawyers are mandated to ensure that employees are complying with corporate initiatives such as whistleblowing mechanisms, anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies, as well as concerns over financial reporting or various risk management issues.“What I think is emerging out of the U.S. is the GC office is taking more of a pro-active role to ensure there are proper governance structures put in place to jointly address the culture of the organization, to make sure people understand how they can report their concerns and make sure the mechanisms are in place to give assurance to anybody who wants to report a concern that it’s a retribution-free environment,” says Williams. “Of course there’s always a caveat on that that if someone does it with a malicious intent all bets are off.”From his vantage point, Williams says the role of GC has expanded significantly since 2004. “They’re becoming more critical in terms of ensuring that corporations are setting the proper tone and satisfying their statutory obligations in terms of compliance.”In fact, he says general counsel hold a unique position in an organization. “More often than not, general counsel can stay above the fray. The ones I know don’t let emotion creep into their decision making and are generally effective in steering the corporation down the right path, making sure they don’t stray ethically with difficult situations, and holding everyone else to a higher standard.”In large organizations the roles of general counsel and compliance may need to stay separate says John Boscariol, leader with McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s international trade and investment law group. “I think the trend we’re seeing is there is a focus on appointing a chief compliance officer that is separate from your general counsel because of perceived conflicts.”Williams says there needs to be a healthy culture of openness in an organization, and making sure people in finance functions are properly supervised and monitored.“It’s tough for in-house counsel to be in charge of the internal controls but where they can be great is in the role of making sure the organization is in full control of all the compliance issues and statutes and working on a culture of compliance. From there, once people get it into the DNA of the organization, it doesn’t mean things won’t happen but it really minimizes a catastrophic loss.”

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General counsel in Canadian organizations should think about taking on a greater role in the compliance function to help combat fraud before it takes place, says a forensics expert with KPMG, as referenced in a recent article in Canadian Lawyer Magazine.

[via: Can in-house counsel help combat fraud? at Canadian Lawyer Magazine]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/combat_fraud/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/combat_fraud/ 14 Outside Counsel Rules by In-House Counselhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/zBAy28E04qY/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/outside_counsel_rules/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:07:02 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23038 Steve Boutwell, Director of Client Services at Kean Miller in Baton Rouge, posted “In-house Insight: Outside Counsel Rules to Live By”. A concise list that most in-house counsel will agree with – and could potentially add to! [via 14 Rules by In-House Counsel for Law Firms : Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog.] Like this post? [...]

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Steve Boutwell, Director of Client Services at Kean Miller in Baton Rouge, posted “In-house Insight: Outside Counsel Rules to Live By”. A concise list that most in-house counsel will agree with – and could potentially add to!

[via 14 Rules by In-House Counsel for Law Firms : Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog.]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/outside_counsel_rules/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/outside_counsel_rules/ Molson Coors merges chief people, legal officers with Samuel Walker to take on combined rolehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/gtRGmY5Gc08/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/samuel_walker/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:30:15 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23036 Sometimes mergers are not about law departments or law firms, they happen within positions at companies: Molson Coors has combined the chief legal officer and chief people officer roles, with Ralph Hargrow set to leave the brewer. Samuel Walker, the current chief legal officer, will assume the expanded role of chief people and legal officer, [...]

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Sometimes mergers are not about law departments or law firms, they happen within positions at companies:

Molson Coors has combined the chief legal officer and chief people officer roles, with Ralph Hargrow set to leave the brewer. Samuel Walker, the current chief legal officer, will assume the expanded role of chief people and legal officer, the North American brewer announced earlier this week.

[via Molson Coors merges chief people, legal officer.]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/samuel_walker/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/samuel_walker/ Futurist tells in-house counsel to rethink legal service deliveryhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/mZ3ZWBUoxKA/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/legal_service_delivery/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:55:05 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=23035 Looking for ideas on re-inventing legal service delivery? Check out this recent article at Canadian Lawyer Magazine: If you were given a blank sheet of paper and asked to design your in-house legal department from scratch, what would it look like? That’s a question posed by futurist and author Richard Susskind, to a group of [...]

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Looking for ideas on re-inventing legal service delivery? Check out this recent article at Canadian Lawyer Magazine:

If you were given a blank sheet of paper and asked to design your in-house legal department from scratch, what would it look like? That’s a question posed by futurist and author Richard Susskind, to a group of about 50 in-house counsel during a Canadian Corporate Counsel Association Master Class yesterday in Toronto.

[via Futurist tells in-house to rethink service delivery | Canadian Lawyer Legal Feeds]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/legal_service_delivery/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/legal_service_delivery/ Bryan Cave Presents Free In-House Counsel CLE Institute (2/24/2012, Atlanta, GA)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/H7wpH7SbcWo/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/free_in-house_counsel_institute/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:10:06 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22970 On Friday, February 24, 2012, Bryan Cave will host a free In-House Counsel Institute, a complimentary CLE seminar, in its Atlanta office.  Recognizing the many diverse topics corporate counsel confront on a daily basis, Bryan Cave attorneys will provide guidance on the following issues: - Dodd Frank Update - Web 2.5 - Corporate Compliance Issues [...]

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On Friday, February 24, 2012, Bryan Cave will host a free In-House Counsel Institute, a complimentary CLE seminar, in its Atlanta office.  Recognizing the many diverse topics corporate counsel confront on a daily basis, Bryan Cave attorneys will provide guidance on the following issues:

- Dodd Frank Update
- Web 2.5
- Corporate Compliance Issues
- Data Breach and Security
- Environmental, Health and Safety Enforcement Developments
- Doing Business in Asia
- Antitrust Triage
- Corporate Tax Hot Topics
- Anti-Doping in Sports
-Health Reform’s Impact on Employee Benefits

Bryan Cave anticipates the seminar will be approved for 6.5 hours of CLE credit, including 1.0 hour of Ethics credit and 1.0 hour of Professionalism credit. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and a reception will conclude the seminar. Breakfast/registration is scheduled to begin at 8:00am on Friday, with the seminar running from 8:30am until 4:30pm.

[via Bryan Cave Presents In-House Counsel CLE Institute | Bank Bryan Cave.]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/free_in-house_counsel_institute/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/free_in-house_counsel_institute/ Are your independent contractors really employees? The IRS wants to know.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/TEK2Ng1112w/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/are_your_independent_contractor/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:18:38 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22686 Given the potentially stiff penalties, companies should exercise care in how they classify service providers

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The IRS wants to know if your independent contractors are really employees.

[via: Regulatory: The IRS wants to know if your independent contractors are really employees at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/are_your_independent_contractor/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/are_your_independent_contractor/ Are E.U. and Google Data Policies the Future of Online Privacy?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/XVuVBdxDSK4/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/online_privacy/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:14:20 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22779 This week, the European Union proposed an overhaul of its data protection law, and Google announced a new privacy policy for its users. And the FTC and Department of Commerce are getting ready to join this global chorus on data privacy.

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Online privacy issues on the march:

This week, the European Union proposed an overhaul of its data protection law, and Google announced a new privacy policy for its users. And the FTC and Department of Commerce are getting ready to join this global chorus on data privacy.

[via: Are E.U. and Google Data Policies the Future of Online Privacy? at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/online_privacy/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/online_privacy/ Report reveals highest number of EEOC discrimination charges everhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/2uHMdV4t-PU/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/eeoc_discrimination_charges/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:15:13 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22760 Littler Mendelson released its first Annual Report on EEOC Developments today, tracking trends in the discrimination charges filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) during the 2011 fiscal year.

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Littler Mendelson released a report tracking the highest number of EEOC discrimination charges ever in 2011.

[via: Report reveals highest number of EEOC discrimination charges ever at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/eeoc_discrimination_charges/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/eeoc_discrimination_charges/ Preparing for Dodd-Frank Whistleblowershttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/NX4dfGxk7a8/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/dodd-frank_whistleblowers/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:22:25 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22861 While there is no sure way for a company faced with a securities violation to ensure that it will not become the subject of a whistleblower report, there are steps corporate counsel can take to minimize the risk.

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While there is no sure way for a company faced with a securities violation to ensure that it will not become the subject of a whistleblower report, there are steps corporate counsel can take to minimize the risk, as a recent article at CorpCounsel points out.

[via: From the Experts: Preparing for Whistleblowers Under Dodd-Frank at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/dodd-frank_whistleblowers/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/dodd-frank_whistleblowers/ Help is Available for Lawyers with Addiction Issueshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/GvtNt6D240I/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyers_with_addiction/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:30:03 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22777 Lawyers have a tough job to do, and some try to alleviate the stress with mood-altering activities. Done to excess or illegally, that can make their situation much worse, as demonstrated by the criminal cases of at least two attorneys in the news this past week concerning their alleged activities. But help is available to lawyers who may have issues with excessive drinking, drug use and other addictions, such as gambling. (One recovered attorney told an ABA Journal reporter several years ago that he formerly looked for cases that would be tried at courthouses near his favorite casino.) In addition…

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Help is available to lawyers with addiction issues. If you need help or know someone who does, seek it out:

Lawyers have a tough job to do, and some try to alleviate the stress with mood-altering activities. Done to excess or illegally, that can make their situation much worse, as demonstrated by the criminal cases of at least two attorneys in the news this past week concerning their alleged activities.

[via: Help is Available for Lawyers with Addiction Issues at the ABA Journal]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyers_with_addiction/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyers_with_addiction/ Social media use among in-house lawyers on the upswinghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/uM-JfXMQVN0/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/social_media/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:48:34 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22669 A new survey reveals that in-house lawyers of all ages are browsing blogs, looking at LinkedIn and toying with other social media platforms more frequently these days.

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A new survey reveals that in-house lawyers of all ages are browsing blogs, looking at LinkedIn and toying with other social media platforms more frequently these days.

[via: Social media use among in-house lawyers on the upswing at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/social_media/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/social_media/ Heard the One About the Lawyer? Comedians-at-Law Troupe Hits the Roadhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/EsoOK3Tqhus/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyer_comedians/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:30:46 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22539 Who says lawyers can’t have a sense of humor? Apparently there are many lawyer comedians in our midst: Greg Collett has worked in law, banking and politics. Tired of having jobs that made people hate him, he decided to give comedy a try. “I think there’s no profession other than law that drives so many [...]

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Who says lawyers can’t have a sense of humor? Apparently there are many lawyer comedians in our midst:

Greg Collett has worked in law, banking and politics. Tired of having jobs that made people hate him, he decided to give comedy a try. “I think there’s no profession other than law that drives so many people to work hard and succeed,” says Collett, who with five other attorneys recently formed the Comedians-at-Law comedy troupe. “It’s just that it’s often in some other profession.” The group plans to take its show on the road this year with a nationwide law school tour dubbed Lawmageddon.

[via: Heard the One About the Lawyer? Comedians-at-Law Troupe Hits the Road at the ABA Journal]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyer_comedians/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/lawyer_comedians/ Rounding Up the 10 Biggest IP Litigation Wins of 2011http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/9hRL18GChzc/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/ip_litigation/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:42:36 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22706 In light of the ever-increasing importance of intellectual property to not just Apple, but seemingly every modern business, CorpCounsel presents a list of last year's top 10 IP litigation wins.

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In light of the ever-increasing importance of intellectual property to not just Apple, but seemingly every modern business, CorpCounsel presents a list of last year’s top 10 IP litigation wins.

[via: Rounding Up the 10 Biggest IP Litigation Wins of 2011 at CorpCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/ip_litigation/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/ip_litigation/ 5 ways to protect your company in the event of a key employee departurehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/oOcGNcuyeuk/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/key_employee_departure/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:48 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22514 How does your company protect itself in the event of a key employee departure? A recent InsideCounsel article discusses the topic. [via: Labor: 5 ways to protect your company when a key employee departs at InsideCounsel] Like this post? Subscribe to InhouseBlog's FREE weekly email newsletter. Unsubscribe at any time.

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How does your company protect itself in the event of a key employee departure? A recent InsideCounsel article discusses the topic.

[via: Labor: 5 ways to protect your company when a key employee departs at InsideCounsel]

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]]> http://www.inhouseblog.com/key_employee_departure/feed/ 0 http://www.inhouseblog.com/key_employee_departure/ In-House Counsel’s Guide to Breast-Feeding Policieshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Inhouseblog-NewsForInhouseCounsel/~3/GjiiXrSLXg4/ http://www.inhouseblog.com/breast-feeding_policies/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:26:06 +0000 Editors http://www.inhouseblog.com/?p=22634 "Nurse-ins" have been in the news recently, as mothers stage peaceful protests aimed at promoting women's rights to breast-feed their children in public. These events should prompt in-house counsel to examine their companies' breast-feeding policies, including how their companies handle employees who need time to attend to breast-feeding responsibilities while at work and how employees interact with customers who are nursing.

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Need to read up on corporate breast-feeding policies? CorpCounsel has a recent piece on the topic:

“Nurse-ins” have been in the news recently, as mothers stage peaceful protests aimed at promoting women’s rights to breast-feed their children in public. These events should prompt in-house counsel to examine their companies’ breast-feeding policies, including how their companies handle employees who need time to attend to breast-feeding responsibilities while at work and how employees interact with customers who are nursing.

[via: In-House Counsel's Guide to Breast-Feeding Policies at CorpCounsel]

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