The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) recently hosted Legal Ops Con '24 from April 14-16 in Chicago.
This year's conference drew over 400 attendees, speakers, and sponsors from nine countries. The event featured a curriculum crafted by and for in-house legal operations professionals. It aimed to provide timely and relevant content to help attendees tackle present challenges and anticipate future demands within their organizations.
Key topics discussed at the conference included evolving legal technology, managing cybersecurity risks, contract negotiation, review, management, software integrations, and deploying generative AI.
Veta T. Richardson, president and CEO of ACC, highlighted the significance of operational efficiency as identified by the 2024 ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey. “Led by in-house legal operations professionals, for in-house legal operations professionals, Legal Ops Con brings together industry experts to share, learn, ideate, and network with peers from around the world,” said Richardson. “This conference sold out for sponsors and registrants, and I think that underscores the desire for a conference like ACC’s, where attendee education and learning is a top priority. We thank all of the attendees, presenters, and sponsors for their collaboration and enthusiasm to make Legal Ops Con ’24 such a success.”
The conference also offered a unique opportunity for professionals to network and share innovative ideas. Laura Caponi, vice president of risk, operations, and intelligence at Bristol Myers Squibb and outgoing chair of ACC’s Legal Operations Network, praised the event for its collaborative spirit. "ACC’s Legal Ops Con '24 was a wonderful opportunity to bring legal operations professionals together to learn about and improve these essential functions," said Caponi. She thanked network leaders and the advisory committee for providing beneficial and actionable insights.
Legal Ops Con '24 kicked off with a legal operations boot camp—a half-day intensive workshop guided by seasoned corporate legal operations experts that allowed participants to delve into strategic planning, financial management, technology management, and external resource management. The ACC plans to continue fostering these gatherings to support the evolving needs of legal operations professionals across the globe.