ACC’s first virtual annual meeting draws in 2,500 attendees

The Association of Corporate Counsel’s first virtual annual meeting, held from Oct. 12 to 16, attracted 2,500 participants around the world, which surpassed last year’s numbers.

The attendance even went as high as 2,046 unique visits in one day. These numbers highlight the importance of the meeting for the global in-house community and the willingness of the members of the community to participate in virtual meetings, stated the news release from the ACC.

The events included keynote presentations, interactive workshops, roundtables, continuing legal education and continuing professional development courses, an exhibit hall featuring 40 legal solutions sellers and a networking lounge, as well as daily wellness and networking sessions like yoga, a trivia event and a talent show.

The keynote presentations discussed what the new leadership standard is in today’s ever evolving world, how an organization can prepare for unexpected circumstances, how to deal with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustices and how to find peace despite the realities of burnout and anxiety.

“From all the engaged attendees, wonderful speakers and panelists, and incredible sponsors, everyone came together to make this conference an informative and enjoyable experience,” said Veta Richardson, president and chief executive officer of ACC, in the news release.

The events also included more than 100 legal and technical sessions exploring subjects like the COVID-19 crisis and law department, legal operations and law department management, business strategy for in-house counsel, intellectual property law and legal ethics. Other sessions explored how to apply technological solutions in creative ways in legal departments and how to deal with the hiring challenges arising due to the pandemic.

Attendees may view the on-demand programs until the end of January next year. The news release states that registration is still open for individuals who are interested in accessing on-demand educational programming but who were unable to attend the live event.

“The COVID-19 crisis has shown just how crucial a well-prepared general counsel is to a company,” said Richardson in the news release. “This year’s annual meeting showed just how much in-house lawyers still need the community of their peers to share, learn and grow together.”