10th Annual In-House Counsel Conference

The theme of the MBA’s 10^th Annual In-House Counsel Conference is "Best Practices for In-House Counsel." This program has been designed to present in-house counsel with information from in-house practitioners, outside counsel, and experts in selected areas of current interest to in-house counsel. This year’s conference highlights include:

• Opening remarks by Lauren Stiller Rikleen regarding strengthening multigenerational relationships. Rikleen is an attorney and a nationally-recognized expert on developing a diverse and multi-generational workforce and creating a culture where professionals can advance and flourish.
• An update from the Business Litigation Session of the Superior Court Department regarding the BLS Pilot Project, which was designed to lessen the burdens of litigation. Attendees will learn about the advantages of the pilot program over other alternatives as a means of resolution of business disputes.
• A presentation regarding current cyber-security issues, including cyber-stalking, use of false identities and other threats; electronic data security and privacy; how to address cyber-threats; and cyber-security insurance and other insurance products available to address risks.
• Best practices in insurance planning, including commonly encountered insurance terms and forms, where gaps in coverage can occur, funding mechanisms for self-insured retentions and deductibles, insurance issues that arise under contracts and tailoring contracts to suit insurance coverage.
• Traps for the Unwary in Independent Investigations. Independent investigations are a proven strategy to reduce the risk of shareholder litigation in public and private companies, but what does it take to satisfy a court that the investigation was independent? Recent court decisions may raise the bar.
• The conference will again have brief "lightning round" presentations concerning current developments of interest to in-house counsel. There will be two intellectual property segments:
  1. "First-to-file and absolute novelty for patent applications is (almost) here"
       o In March 2013 the U.S. implements a first-to-file patent system requiring "absolute novelty" for patentability.
  2.  "Patent validity challenges by a licensee (or having your cake and eating it too)" 
       o Patent licensees can now sue their licensor and assert invalidity of the licensed patent. What contract provisions are licensors using in license agreements to protect themselves against a patent validity challenge by their own licensees -- and will they work?

This year the MBA will be offering a special post-election presentation for those who arrive early. Witt Associates will sponsor a breakfast and vice president John Weinfurter will offer remarks regarding what in-house counsel can expect from the recent elections, including who will likely be chairing important congressional committees and other political projections of interest to in-house counsel.

The conference is co-sponsored by New England In-House, a publication affiliated with Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, and the New England Corporate Counsel Association.