ACC / Northeast Chapter

The Northeast Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel continues to grow at a steady pace – 782 members as of this writing, with increases every month. We like to think that the quality of our programming (with appreciation and acknowledgement to our sponsors!), the quarterly newsletters, and the monthly JobFind all contribute to this steady growth.

The online resources available through the ACCA website are clearly outstanding, and the ACCA Docket, as one member put it, is “worth the membership fee alone.”

One of our initiatives for the Northeast Chapter this year is to provide programming for members who are not in the immediate Boston area, and who have found it difficult in the past to take advantage of our educational programming. While the majority of our members are east of Worcester, Mass., almost 175 hail from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.

They are the fastest growing contingent within our membership. While the ACCA website (www.acca.com) and other resources available from ACCA national are a valuable benefit to these members, we are endeavoring to bring good, CLE-accredited programming to them in their own locales.

The logistics in providing this local programming is now more than just a work-in-progress. In the Boston area, we have longstanding relationships with many law firms with whom we can partner to provide the high standard of programming our members demand.

Now, in addition, we are working with firms outside of Boston and some ACC-Northeast members, to produce programs of an equally high standard. In the past year, we have brought programs to Pawtucket and Providence, R.I., Portland, Maine, and Stratham, N.H., with an upcoming program in Manchester, N.H. planned for May. Additionally, ACC-national has a number of “portable” education programs that require only a VCR and an audience, yet provide a solid look at ethical issues, attorney-client privilege, records management, intellectual property, insider trading, and other topics of interest to in-house counsel.

We feel this initiative is an important one, and will be working to expand it steadily. Technology will certainly aid us, as webinars and e-conferences become more popular, but the face-to-face networking with other in-house counsel is an important part of the process. We will continue to offer new programs in new locations for all members.

In other areas, we are once again hosting the Professional Responsibility Awards Dinner on April 26. Nominated by their professors and law school deans, six local law students will be honored for their commitment to ethics in the practice of law, each receiving a $1,000 cash award at a festive awards ceremony at the Union Club in Boston. Sponsored by local law firms, this is a worthy occasion, and we look forward to it.

As always, we look forward to working with our members and sponsors this season.