Canadian Corporate Counsel Association

National Spring Conference

2013 National Spring Conference Summary

The CCCA National Spring Conference in Toronto, April 14-16 2013, was a great success.

Attended by over 300 of your colleagues and subject experts, the conference provided delegates with new perspectives, ideas and practical take-aways designed to improve efficiency and decision-making in the workplace. The conference also acted as the highlight of the CCCA’s 25th Anniversary year, bringing together many old friends to celebrate a quarter century of in-house excellence.

The conference, hosted by Conference Partners Baker & McKenzie and DLA Piper, was brimming over with professional development opportunities. From plenaries discussing cyber security, Obama, Congress and Canada, and the way legal departments evolve with the business they serve, to 13 different workshops to fabulous speakers including Roger Martin, Paula Boggs, and Major-General Blaise Cathcart, our Conference Co-Chairs Rob Van Walleghem and Karen Hacker made sure that this conference had something for everyone.

On the evening of Sunday, April 14, delegates attended the CCCA’s 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Gowlings. In addition to presenting the annual R.V.A. Jones Award, the CCCA introduced four new awards as well as a Mentor Service Milestone. Learn about each of the award winners.

On Monday, April 15, Roger Martin (Dean of the Rotman School of Management) and Grant Borbridge, Q.C. (CCCA Chair) announced the launch of Certified In-House Counsel – Canada, a joint certification program which will will develop and assess the skills, knowledge and attributes essential to be regarded as both trusted legal advisor and strategic business partner.

Monday also marked the release of the 2013 In-House Counsel Barometer Survey, exploring the attitudes and opinions of in-house counsel to provide the most current, relevant information reflective of the Canadian in-house counsel experience. CCCA Members can access this survey here.

We thanked our speakers for their time, generosity and expertise by providing a donation in their name to the Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere (FAME), which works at the community level offering families empathy, support, knowledge and a compass for navigating the health care system as an advocate for a loved one living with mental illness.

We extend heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, Co-Chairs, volunteers, our MC, James Elliott, and the city of Toronto for making this event a fabulous experience for all.

View photos from the National Spring Conference.

The next National Spring Conference will be held in Calgary, April 6-8, 2014. We look forward to seeing you there!

Conference materials and presentations:

Spring Training Camp Stream A: New to In-House

Ethics Primer for New to In-House
Paper: Navigating Ethical Grey Areas for In-House Counsel
Paper: Tips for Preserving Legal Privilege
Presentation: Confidentiality and Conflicts for In-House Counsel
Presentation: Ethics Primer
Presentation: Effective Use of Rules of Privilege & Disclosure

Corporate Governance 101
Paper: Corporate Governance 101

Nuts and Bolts of Regulatory Compliance
Presentation: Nuts and Bolts of Regulatory Compliance

Contract Management
Presentation: Contract Management - Challenges and Practical Solutions

HR Essentials
Presentation: HR Essentials

Spring Training Camp Stream B: Legal Department Management

Leading Change in your Legal Department
Paper: Leading Change in your Legal Department

Capturing and Communicating the Value of your Legal Department
Presentation: Capturing and Communicating the Value of your Legal Department
Presentation: Capturing and Communicating Value

Workshop 201: Responding to Executive Misconduct

Presentation: Responding to Executive Misconduct
Paper: Accompaniment to Table of Concordance

Workshop 202: Shotguns in the Boardroom - Negotiating Joint Venture Agreements with your Worst Enemy

Presentation: Negotiating Joint Venture Agreements with Your Competitor

Workshop 301: The Social Network - What Should Employers Do?

Paper: Social Media Background Checks in Canada
Paper: Social Media and Employee Discipline - Privacy and Defining Spaces
Paper: Social Media Policies in the Workplace - A Primer for Employers
Presentation: The Social Network - What Should Employers Do?

Workshop 302: Joining Forces - Building Effective Relationships with your Risk Management Department

Paper: Overview of Widely Used Risk Management Standards and Guidelines

Workshop 303: The Evolving Legal Regime Governing Ethics and Sustainability for Companies

Presentation: Governing Ethics and Sustainability for Companies

Workshop 401: IP Considerations in Outsourcing

Paper: Outsourcing Agreement Checklist
Presentation: IP Considerations in Outsourcing Agreements

Workshop 403: Managing Conflicts in Everyday Practice - A Guide for In-House Counsel

Paper: Managing Conflicts of Interest in Everyday Practice
Presentation: Managing Conflicts of Interest in Everyday Practice