The Association of Corporate Counsel-Michigan Chapter (ACC-MI) will present the Annual State of the Law Update “While You Were Quarantining: Key Developments and Takeaways” sponsored by Foley & Lardner LLP on Thursday, November 10, from 1:30 to 6 p.m. at The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills, 39475 Woodward Ave. in Bloomfield Hills.
The post-COVID and post-lockdown world has ushered in key changes and current trends in the law. The program speakers will discuss the updates on important court decisions over the last three years, ongoing woes in the supply chain, and critical issues in employment law, compliance, and taxation. The update will also address planning and suggestions for companies as they prepare for potential economic uncertainty ahead.
Topics will include:
1. State of the Law - Regarding Top Ten Commercial Decisions Since Beginning of 2020
2. Supply Chain Emergencies (price increases, stop shipments, troubled suppliers, force majeure, etc.)
3. Employment Dos and Don’ts When Implementing Workforce Reductions
4. Property Tax Issues And Opportunities Given Current “Return to Work” Environment
5. The New Frontier of Investigations & Compliance Issues
Speaking at the update will be:
• Jason Conti, a partner and trial and appellate attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. He has 20 years of experience handling complex, high-stakes commercial and partnership disputes, property tax appeal litigation, real estate litigation, and intellectual property, trade secrets, and computer software litigation. Conti has represented publicly and privately owned corporations, real estate developers, property owners, national retailers, software developers, media clients, partnerships, and taxpayers in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and administrative agencies. He has obtained numerous verdicts, published court decisions, settlements, and dismissals in favor of his clients, including over $50 million in property tax refunds for his property owner clients.
• Nicholas Ellis, a partner and litigator with Foley & Lardner LLP. His practice focuses on manufacturing and supply chain disputes, the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), warranty claims, contract law and business tort law. Ellis also routinely counsels clients on a variety of commercial contract issues. He is a member of the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice and the Automotive Industry Team.
• Michelle A. Freeman, a senior counsel and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. She is a member of the Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations, Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Antitrust Practices. Freeman represents corporations and individuals in criminal, antitrust and regulatory government investigations and white collar criminal defense matters. She conducts internal corporate investigations involving state and federal authorities including the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency. She investigates potential violations of state and federal law prior to the government becoming involved and counsels clients on how to avoid future risk. In addition to her work on internal and external investigations, Freeman represents clients on a wide range of commercial litigation issues.
• Vanessa Miller, a litigation partner with Foley & Lardner LLP and chair Manufacturing Sector – Automotive, as well as on the advisory committee of the firm’s Manufacturing Sector. She served as a former chair of the Detroit office’s Litigation Department. Miller’s practice focuses on a wide array of supply chain disputes, including breach of contract and warranty claims, automotive supply chain issues and maintaining continuity of supply, defending manufacturers against class actions, trade secret misappropriation claims and business torts.
• Felicia O’Connor, a senior counsel and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. She is a member of the Labor & Employment Practice and the Automotive Industry Team. O’Connor frequently represents and counsels clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues including, wage and hour compliance, leave issues including the intersection between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), sexual and other harassment issues, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) compliance, the Service Contract Act and many other areas. She also has traditional labor experience including counseling on labor relations issues, responding to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) charges and conducting labor arbitrations.
The Annual State of the Law Update is free to ACC-MI members and non-members. To register, visit www.acc.com/chapters-networks/chapters/michigan.
