CORPORATE COUNSEL FORUM
Presented in Cooperation with the
Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)

In today's environment, lawyers licensed and regulated in one jurisdiction often engage in client service across borders via phone, via the Internet, in person (by traveling), and through matter management with locally licensed firms and lawyers. The Corporate Counsel Forum is designed to examine the cross-border practice of law in both the United States, where each state has different rules regulating the authorized practice of law, and in the international context, where the rules are even harder to interpret across country lines.

For example, what are the risks and liabilities for lawyers who are not admitted in California or even the U.S. and who come to California on legal business with their firms or as a member of a legal department team working on local client matters? And what are the consequences for California lawyers who work for multinational clients and travel regularly to countries in the Pacific Rim to work on client matters? Are they engaged in California or in those jurisdictions? Have they violated the rules of professionalism since they are not locally admitted where they are arguably practicing?

During the program, panelists will focus on legal ethics and the rules of professional conduct at their most fundamental level. They will address questions such as: Who is authorized to practice as an attorney in any given jurisdiction and who is not? What does practice by a non-locally admitted attorney entail and what are the problems, pitfalls, and penalties when an attorney engages in unauthorized practice? How do lawyers navigate these issues in the most effective way? And what are appropriate reforms required within individual jurisdictions that will support (rather than frustrate) competent, licensed lawyers who work in an international context for clients with multinational legal needs?

MODERATOR:

Susan Hackett
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Association of Corporate Counsel, United States
Susan Hackett joined Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) in 1989. While she has held a number of roles and responsibilities over the years, she is currently focused on ACC's advocacy efforts, corporate pro bono and diversity initiatives, the provision of legal services and counseling to ACC and its board, and the development of new strategic resources benefiting general counsel (CLOs) and ACC's increasingly global membership. MORE>

PANELISTS:

Mitsuru Claire Chino
Corporate Counsel
Itochu Corporation, Japan
As corporate counsel for Itochu, a multinational corporation with 40,000 employees worldwide, Mitsuru Claire Chino works to reform the Japanese legal system and to expand the role of in-house lawyers. Through her work with the Judicial System Reform Council, the Liberal Democratic Party, and her teaching position at Keio Law School, Ms. Chino strives to bring Japanese law in line with international standards, liberalize the market for legal services, and improve the law school system in Japan.

Janine M. Dascenzo
Associate General Counsel
General Electric Company, United States
Janine Dascenzo is associate general counsel of General Electric Company. Prior to joining GE, Ms. Dascenzo was in private practice, most recently with Squire Sanders & Dempsey. In 1998, Ms. Dascenzo joined the GE Aircraft Engines' litigation group until 2003 when she was named general counsel of GE’s factory automation division. She was also GE’s managing counsel for Legal Operations from 2005 to 2007.

David Kreider
Chartered Arbitrator and General Counsel
Vodafone New Zealand Ltd, New Zealand
David Kreider is the general counsel and member of the Executive Leadership Team of Vodafone NZ Ltd. He is a chartered arbitrator and an AMINZ Fellow member, and was awarded a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Mr. Kreider specializes in IT and technology disputes.

Edith Shih
Head Group General Counsel and Company Secretary
Hutchison Whampoa Limited, Hong Kong
Edith Shih is the head group general counsel and company secretary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, a Fortune 500 conglomerate based in Hong Kong operating in 55 countries engaged in the businesses of ports, property, retail, telecommunications, and oil and energy. She leads an award-winning team of over 200 legal counsels, stationed in 23 countries, overseeing all legal affairs of the entire group.

Return to Programs List>