MCLE London™ Programme 2016

25 YEARS ON… Fostering Banking and Commercial Corporate Governance in Transition Countries after the Crisis. Status and Priorities.  In its 25th Anniversary Year, 26 years after the Berlin Wall came down, the EBRD is moving forward with its Reconstruction and Development Mission in many countries, but the importance of good corporate governance remains paramount.

Gian Piero Cigna, Avvocato (Italy); Senior Counsel, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Lecturer at The Queen Mary University, London, and at Kings College, London University.

Jonathon Grech, SVP, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary at Millennium Copthorne Hotels; Attorney (GA and IL); Solicitor, England & Wales

Anastasios Tomtsis, Counsel, Clifford Chance LLP, Brussels Office.    Attorney (NY);  Solicitor (Dikigoros – (ΔΣΘ)), Greece; Avocat, Brussels (E-list); 

Jackie Grech, Attorney (GA) Solicitor (E&W), Regulatory Consultant and CEO Kafoodle Limited;; former Policy Director and General Counsel British Hospitality Association (BHA)  

UNDER AFRICAN SKIES – An overview of OHADA (The Organization for the Harmonization of Business Laws in Africa). A Treaty Organization primarily developed to improve legal congruity in the Francophone countries in Africa, on a basis of Civil Law (principally French Law)  which has “Balkanised” over the years of independence, and which must also cope internally with local African Tribal laws and different interpretations and applications of Shari’ah, OHADA strives to promote the development of workable commercial code of law between African countries, hopefully not excluding those based on English law in the Commonwealth countries. This of course also tends to ease the path of commerce internationally for African countries. There are perhaps parallels in concepts with the USA in its own codified legal development through Uniform Acts, and doubtless many similar difficulties. This session comprises a general overview and a case study for a hypothetical US Investor client.

Salimatou Diallo, Avocat à la Cour (Paris and Conakry), Attorney (NY) ; SD Avocats, Conakry, Guinea

STORMY CYBERWEATHER AND NO SAFE HARBOUR?  – DATA TRANSFER AND CONFLICT OF LAWS ISSUES –  A landmark decision by the  European Court in October 2015 (Maximillian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner C-362/14) has nixed the harmonization of the Safe Harbor provisions of the US in Data Protection principles as far as EU citizens’ data is concerned.   This poses inherent and immediate practical conflict of laws problems for all European Union commercial activities which use US data processing facilities – and for their advisors.

Lisa Peets, Attorney (NY, DC) Registered Foreign Lawyer (E&W), Partner and Head of the Technology and Media practice, Covington and Burling, London.   

Ezra Steinhardt and Philippe Bradley-Schmieg,  Associates, Covington & Burling, London

INSPIRING WOMEN – ELIMINATION OF BIAS IN THE PROFESSION AND THE RECOGNITION OF BIAS IN SOCIETY – An increasingly successful national project started in 2013 helping to raise the expectations of young women at schools and colleges and thereby reduce and eliminate the effects of bias in society in the professions as and other careers, Inspiring Women is expanding its campaign into Europe and the USA.  Over the past few years we have considered in this CLE session bias affecting women professionals and glass ceilings, objectively, mentally, culturally and sociologically.  Today some very simple practical actions are being put forward to help encourage young women which we as attorneys can easily help with, in the spirit of the extension of the MCLE scope of this topic by California from mere understanding to wider action.

Professor Vanessa Knapp OBE, Solicitor, Visiting Professor at Queen Mary University, London; Lecturer (Company Law and Corporate Governance) University College, University of London, Member EU Expert Group on Company Law.

ROAD ATLAS TO GOOGLE MAPS – The Financial Imperative for the Improvement of Efficiency in Legal Practice –  an overview of realistic legal Practice Management and Development for the 21st Century

General Counsel may sometimes be uncomfortable asking for efficiency from their customary legal services suppliers, as well as firms being uncomfortable in delivering it.  Why ignoring improvement will mean General Counsel will have to change suppliers in the future. Additionally the cost of work is often overtaken by other costs so there is mutual benefit to not ignoring inefficient processes

Mark Greenhouse, MEng, MIET, MIDM, Associate Lecturer at Leeds University Business School; Lean Business Process Improvement Specialist; Director, Levantar Limited.  

KEEP CALM & CARRY ON – MENTAL HEALTH IN THE OFFICE (COMPETENCE)
Stress at work, its amelioration and reduction through Mindfulness for Business –  an overview, advice and practical tips for stressed attorneys and staff.

Ariane Agostini, BA, MSc, Dip Organizational Behavior; lecturer at Regent’s University, London in Management, OB and, Human Resource Management (HRM)

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW – The Continuing National and International Revolution In Lawyer Ethics And Lawyer Regulation – Cases, Regulatory Reform And Finding A Better Approach

John T Berry – Attorney (FL), Director Legal Division Florida Bar, supervising lawyer regulation and professionalism efforts – former Chair of ABA’s professionalism Committee (2003-2006); award-winning expert in judicial education, ethics and professionalism

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS SESSION (CONT).