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    BCLC Looks Forward to a Full Schedule of Meetings This Year!

    Judge Gail Andler (Ret.)

    Apr 20, 2023

    8 min read

    Business Litigation Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    BCLC Looks Forward to a Full Schedule of Meetings This Year!
    iStock.com/AndrewSoundarajan

    Dear Colleagues,

    I write to you as the Chair of the Business and Corporate Litigation Committee to let you know about some of the exciting events we have planned for our Committee in the coming year:

    Cocktails and CLE, Miami March 9 2023

    After a three-year hiatus due to COVID, the Committee is pleased to resume its Cocktails & CLE series. We are hoping to sponsor three events at different spots around the country. The first is planned for March 9 in Miami. The program will feature four federal judges from the Southern District of Florida. Magistrate Judge Melissa Damian will moderate a panel of District Judges Roy K. Altman, Raag Singhal and Robert N. Scola, Jr., on the topic "Lessons from the Federal Bench: What Business Lawyers Need to Know About Presenting Evidence." The program will include an hour of free CLE as well as cocktails and refreshments. Participants will have an opportunity to socialize, network, eat, drink, and meet the judges. It promises to be an enjoyable and educational evening. The link to sign up is here. The event is free, thanks to our generous sponsors.

    Later in the year we will continue this popular program with events planned for Minneapolis in May and Boston in the fall. Stay tuned for more details!

    Hybrid Spring Meeting, Seattle April 27-29 2023

    Please join us virtually or in person for our Spring Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, Washington from April 27-29, 2023. Registration is completely free for Business Law Section members. The meeting in Seattle will provide virtual and in- person opportunities to network, collaborate, and learn. Our Subcommittees will begin their meetings on April 27. If you are not already a member of a Subcommittee or have not been actively involved in the past, I encourage you to take a look at the descriptions available here and get involved. Our Subcommittees play an important role in providing content for BCLC members, and provide opportunities for authorship and programming to our members. They are a great way to enhance your knowledge, your network, and your career. If you cannot join us in person in Seattle, drop in to a Subcommittee meeting virtually. The schedule for the Subcommittee meetings will be posted here.

    Speaking of knowledge, at the meeting we will kick off our free CLE programming on April 27 with these BCLC programs:

    • Ethical Theory as a Guidepost for Ethical Lawyering: Can Different Theories of Ethics Elucidate the Ethical Obligations of Attorneys?
    • The BCLC Annual Review Panel highlights specific topical chapters in the current Developments in Business Law and Corporate Litigation reference manual that is authored, edited, and published by BCLC.

    Co-sponsored BCLC CLE Programs include:

    • Politics in the Boardroom
    • Gaming Law Updates: A Discussion of the Recent Changes in Legalized Gaming Across the United States and Canada Gaming Law

    The next day, on April 28, in the afternoon, BCLC continues to proudly present 1 BCLC CLE Program Co-sponsorship and 1 BCLC CLE Program. Our BCLC CLE Program was specially selected as an ABA Showcase Program!

    • Blockchain, Smart Contracts and Web 3.0 Basics for Business Litigators

    BCLC is also co-sponsoring:

    • Arbitration for Business Lawyers: The Pros & Cons Health Law and Life Sciences

    The official schedule is available online.

    The meeting will also provide opportunities to network at our events, including our Committee dinner on April 27 which will be held at Palisade restaurant. Before the dinner, we will be presenting one of our marquis events-the Women Business and Commercial Advocates' reception honoring prominent local women business lawyers who have made an impact on the advancement of women in the profession. Stay tuned for the formal announcement of the honorees. We hope you can join us for this inspiring and fun event. Tickets for the dinner include the reception, and will be available soon.

    Fall Meeting, Chicago September 7-9 2023

    Formerly known as the Section Annual Meeting, this meeting will be in-person only, although it is anticipated that Committee meetings will have a remote element. Registration is not yet available for this meeting. Stay tuned for more details.

    Future dates

    For those who like to plan ahead, our Fall Meeting in 2024 will be held in San Diego, CA Sept. 12-14, and we will return to beautiful Toronto for the 2025 Fall Meeting, September 8-10.

    In Other News….

    Please join me in congratulating and welcoming Paul Masinter as a Vice Chair of BCLC. Paul will focus on marketing and sponsorship. Please reach out to him at

    [email protected] if you or your firm can help with sponsorship, or know someone who can. Paul is a great addition to our other BCLC Vice Chairs; Jay Dubow, who is focusing on our Subcommittees; Denise Kraft, who is focusing on our live programs; and Kathy McLeroy , who is focusing on our new mentorship initiative as well as content delivery to our members. Stuart Riback, immediate Past Chair, will remain actively involved as Director of Regional Meetings (also known as our "Cocktails and CLE" events).

    One of our new initiatives is to formalize opportunities for engagement with young lawyers. Our Committee Fellow, Lindsay Powell, is also a member of the Young Lawyers' Committee (YLC) and we know she will make a valuable contribution to the work of the Committee as we keep young lawyers in mind regarding our content, delivery, activities and opportunities.

    With the help of this great Committee leadership team and the support of our members---some of the finest lawyers I have ever met-I am confident 2023 will turn out to be a great year for BCLC. We would love your active involvement and look forward to connecting more in 2023.

    The Business Lawyer Invites Submissions

    The Business Lawyer Editorial Board invites Business Law Section committee, subcommittee, and task force submissions as well as topical, scholarly submissions, including case law analyses and commentary on developing trends, that may be of interest to business lawyers generally and other members of the Business Law Section. An editorial decision is made on lead articles typically within two to four weeks after submission, with detailed substantive editing thereafter. We are looking for interesting, well-researched submissions on areas of topical interest. Lead time with full peer review and professional staff editing is approximately four to six months.

    Articles (and questions concerning submissions) should be submitted to Diane Babal, Production Manager, at [email protected].

    Becoming a Business Law Today Author Is Easier Than You Think

    The Section’s web publication, Business Law Today (BLT), provides several opportunities for Business and Corporate Litigation Committee members to become internationally published authors.  With a worldwide readership of nearly 50,000 business law practitioners, BLT is the fastest and easiest way for Section members to get noticed by the audiences that matter the most.  Introductory-level content written by and/or for younger lawyers is welcomed and encouraged!

    Article authors are featured on their very own author page, allowing you to expand your professional digital footprint beyond your employer’s website and traditional social media.  Whether you are a newer lawyer or an existing influencer and thought leader, we encourage you to consider submitting any of the following content types to the BLT Editorial Board for consideration:  Month-In-Brief (a 1-paragraph summary concerning recent legal developments within the past 30 days); Short Articles (750 words or less on a timely business law topic without footnotes or extensive citations); or In-Depth Articles (longer-form content offering deep analysis of a topic with footnotes and more citations).

    If you were a panelist at a recent Section CLE program or substantive presentation, convert your topic to a short article!  If you recently published a case law alert for your law firm, convert it to an original Month-In-Brief!  If you want to promote awareness of a complex issue or topic relevant to business law or litigation, transform your idea into an in-depth article!  To get started, email your pitch or original manuscript to Olivia Stovicek, Editor of Business Law Today.

    2022 Hybrid Section Annual Meeting Recap

    This past September 2022, the BCLC presented four programs at the Hybrid Annual Meeting. The was held on September 15-17, 2022 and was hybrid with its location in Washington, D.C. for those who could attend in person and with a virtual option for those unable to travel to Washington, D.C. 

    The first program was held on Thursday, September 15 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT, where the Committee sponsored, “Containing Wildfires: Cross-Border Class Actions and Mass Tort Litigation.”  It was chaired by Michael O’Brien, of Tyr LLP of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  

    Next, on Friday, September 16, from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT, the BCLC sponsored, “Books and Records: What To and Not to Do in Ubiquitous Section 220 Actions”.  The co-chairs of this program were Emily Burton of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP in Wilmington, DE and Gillian Andrews of Heyman Enerio Gattuso & Hirzel LLP in Wilmington, DE.

    On Friday, September 16, from 12:00 – 1:30 PM EDT, the BCLC sponsored its showcase program, “Supreme Court Business Review – Significant Cases in the October 2021 Term and Preview of the October 2022 Term.” The chair of this program was Stuart Riback of Wilk Auslander LLP of New York, NY. 

    Rounding out the BCLC programs on Friday, September 16 was ethics program, “Risky Business: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls in Lateral Hiring”, from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT.  This program was chaired by Brigida Benitez of Steptoe & Johnson LLP of Washington, D.C..

    BCLC To Present Seven Programs At The 2023 Hybrid Spring Meeting

    Following the successful programs at the Hybrid Annual Meeting, the BCLC is looking forward to the 2023 Hybrid Spring Meeting with another strong line up of CLE programs. The Committee expects to present another set of engaging and compelling programs at the upcoming virtual meeting, which will take place on April 27-29, 2023.  The meeting is a hybrid with its location in Seattle, Washington for those who can attend in person and with a virtual option for those unable to travel to Seattle.

    The first program is on Thursday, April 27 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT, where the Committee will sponsor, “Ethical Theory as a Guidepost for Ethical Lawyering: Can Different Theories of Ethics Elucidate the Ethical Obligations of Attorneys?”  It will be chaired by Anne Steadman, of Reed Smith LLP in Wilmington, DE.

    Next, on Thursday, April 27, from 2:00 PM – 3:30 AM PT, the BCLC will sponsor, “Recent Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation: Trial Practice, Business Divorce, and D&O Officer Liability Insurance”.  The co-chairs of this program are Jessica Mendelson of Paul Hastings in Palo Alto, CA and Anne Steadman of Reed Smith LLP in Wilmington, DE.

    The BCLC is also co-sponsoring a number of programs. The first is co-sponsored with the Corporate Governance Committee and will be held on Thursday, April 27, from 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM PT, “Politics in the Boardroom.” The chair of this program is David Slenn of Akerman LLP in Tampa, FL.

    Next, on Thursday, April 27 from 4:00 – 5:00 PM, the BCLC is co-sponsoring with the Gaming Law Committee, “A Sure Bet: Essential and Updates for Legalized Gaming in the United States and Canada.” The co-chairs of this program are Alexander Denton of Robbins Ross Alloy Belinfante Littlefield in Atlanta, GA and Michelle Dunham of American Express in Itasca, IL. 

    On Friday, April 28, from 8:00 – 9:00 AM PT, the BCLC will co-sponsor with the Business Bankruptcy Committee, “The Long-Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on the Courts.” This program is co-chaired by the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Gunn, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Columbia and Eric Perkins of Becker LLC in Livingston, New Jersey.

    Next, on Friday, April 28 from 12:00 – 1:30 PM PT, the BCLC will co-sponsor with the Corporate Counsel Committee, “Blockchain, Smart Contracts, Crypto and Web 3.0 for Business Lawyers – Understanding the Technology and Key Legal Issues”.  This program is co-chaired Bradford Newman of Baker & McKenzie in Palo Alto and the Honorable Justice Saliann Scarpulla, judge on the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.

    On Friday, April 28 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PT, the BCLC will co-sponsor with the Health Law and Life Sciences Committee, “Arbitration for Business Lawyers: The Pros & Cons.” This program is co-chaired by Michelle Skipper of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. in Fort Lauderdale, FL and Ramana Rameswaran of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in Washington, D.C.

    Looking forward to seeing everyone in Seattle!

    Leadership

    View the Business and Corporate Litigation Committee Leadership Roster.

    With Best Regards,
    Gail Andler