(May/2013) I get to my job at ACC via a commuter train. Most of the people I ride with work for the government, hospitals and nonprofits. Some of them are contractors; others are military personnel. I spend three hours commuting, round trip. If you see me tweeting at o’dark-thirty ET, this is why.
Category Archives: ACC Docket
Subscribe to ACC Docket RSS FeedPublicly Announcing My Parkinson’s Diagnosis — One Year Later
Posted in ACC DocketIntroduction by ACC Docket’s Publisher & Directory of Surveys Kim Howard: This month’s issue of the ACC Docket covers employment and human resources issues. I have managed different work situations and staff, but I have never worked with or managed someone who openly had a life-changing health issue. I turn this month’s blog post over… Continue Reading
Four Family Members and Two TVs: Should I Benchmark Us?
Posted in ACC Docket(March/2013) I had a conversation recently with a co-worker. We were discussing Super Bowl Sunday and the fact that I watched “Downton Abbey” in the middle of the game. As much as I love watching American football, “Downton Abbey” trumps any game. I mentioned to my co-worker that we only have two televisions in our… Continue Reading
Five Things In-house Counsel Can Learn from (American) Football
Posted in ACC Docket(January/February 2013) Many of you know that I grew up in Georgia and Alabama. After my father retired from the US Army during my junior year in high school, we settled outside Ft. Rucker, Ala., in a small town named Enterprise. While I never went to the University of Alabama, I am a long-time Alabama… Continue Reading
Recognize and Motivate: Nominate a Colleague for ACC’s “Top 10 30-Somethings”
Posted in ACC Docket, In-House Practice, LeadershipAs an associate general counsel and vice president of the Royal Bank of Canada, I have a fairly extensive mandate that includes enterprise optimization, global capital markets and global dispute management. All of my team members are terrific, and, as is the case for many of us, I can never reward them enough for the great work that they do. As a result,… Continue Reading
It’s the End of the Year, and What Have You Done?
Posted in ACC Docket(December/2012) Borrowing from John Lennon’s song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” the year is over, so what have you done? No matter what holiday you celebrate — or even if you don’t celebrate at all — this is the last month of 2012. My children think the Maya calendar means that none of us will… Continue Reading
Recognize Your Boss for Outstanding Leadership
Posted in ACC DocketJennifer R. Deitloff is senior counsel for ConAgra Foods, Inc., where she advises the company on labor, employment and immigration matters. She also co-chairs the Programs subcommittee for ACC’s Employment and Labor Law Committee. A great boss supports, inspires and pushes those in her department for excellence. A great boss is direct, enthusiastic and imaginative…. Continue Reading
A Redesign With You in Mind
Posted in ACC Docket(November/2012) ACC Docket has a new look. Yes, we know. You like the magazine the way it is. It’s not broken, so why redesign? Well, here’s the reason: You spoke, and we listened. Your feedback about how and where you consume information, what works for you and why, even down to how you refer to… Continue Reading
Thirty Years Built on a Single Lunch
Posted in ACC Docket(October/2012) Three decades. Thirty years. It’s a birthday that some don’t want to acknowledge. But ACC isn’t worried about turning 30. We are in our prime and celebrating not only our history but also our future plans. ACC’s 30th anniversary can be considered young in association circles. For example, the YMCA was founded in 1844… Continue Reading
Rejuvenation Matters
Posted in ACC Docket(September/2012) This is not an optimal time to write. It’s Friday. We leave for vacation this weekend — a vacation that’s a month later than normal. The kids’ swim team participation for the first time this year soaked up June and July. Oh, and my new boss started July 2, and I couldn’t leave her… Continue Reading
Are You a Mr. or Ms. Fix-it?
Posted in ACC Docket, Annual Meeting 2012(July/August 2012) My dad can fix anything. He is the kind of guy who likes to know how things work. He spent 26 years in the US Army. One of his areas of expertise was helicopter maintenance. I am sure the pilots who served with my dad were glad that he not only knew how… Continue Reading
Personal and Professional Skills for Building a Successful Legal Department
Posted in ACC Docket, ACC Europe, In-House PracticeGuest Author: Simon Zinger is Group General Counsel at Aegis Group plc The ability to deliver accurate and technically sound legal advice has been the foundation of in-house legal departments ever since lawyers joined company ranks. While legal know- how continues to represent a primary deliverable for in-house counsel, the growing opportunities for in-house lawyers… Continue Reading
An Audience of Authors Keeps Things Moving
Posted in ACC Docket(June 2012) When I attend ACC’s Annual Meeting, my job is to strategically decide which sessions I will not only tweet from, but also which ones I want to snag for future ACC Docket articles. Over the years, I have witnessed a number of excellent presentations and have asked many of those presenters to consider… Continue Reading
The Fastest Way to Get Promoted
Posted in ACC Docket, In-House Practice, LeadershipIt won’t be your awesome intellect. Your inspiring presentations are not enough. Even your striking good looks won’t push you over the top. If you want to get promoted fast, there is only one method for certain success: Save the company money. Imagine you’re a fly on the wall, secretly listening in as the CEO… Continue Reading
When Managing Litigation, Be Sure to Wash Your Hands
Posted in ACC Docket(May 2012) Many of you know that I have two children: a 14-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl. They share a bathroom. And, unless you are blessed to live with someone exactly like you, arguments about bathroom neatness are bound to occur. After all the reminders, threats and punishments, my son is still your average… Continue Reading
So I Married a Micromanager
Posted in ACC Docket(April 2012) Some of you may know that my husband runs a business — one that I worked full time in for three years before ACC hired me in 2006. As with most small businesses, I was the jack-of-all-trades: marketing and communications, proofreader, bookkeeper, administration, and yes, human resources. I even got the boss coffee…. Continue Reading
Tell Me More About Yourself
Posted in ACC Docket(March 2012) Most of the managers I know do not enjoy interviewing job candidates. It’s not that we don’t want you to have the job; however, it is often difficult to dig deep enough during an interview. Old school interview questions aren’t much help, and I admit that I have asked more than one candidate… Continue Reading
Predicting the Future
Posted in ACC Docket(January/February 2012) In the past, I’ve been asked to serve on panels to discuss upcoming trends in the publishing industry for the following year. I always turn them down. Why? Because I dislike it when people try to predict the future. The audience wants facts, and I cannot provide them since I honestly don’t know… Continue Reading
When No One Is Perfect, What Does Practice Make?
Posted in ACC Docket(December 2011) Read this 2012 Apex Award-winning blog post! I am embarrassed to admit that I had an author approach me at our Annual Meeting and her article never rang a bell. This wasn’t because the article was boring or that she was worth forgetting; it was because I have become more removed from the… Continue Reading
Justice Kagan’s Life Lessons at ACC’s Co-Sponsored Supreme Court Law Day
Posted in ACC Docket, On the RoadBy Maggy Baccinelli Last Thursday, ACC Editorial Coordinator Maggy Baccinelli attended The Supreme Court Law Day, sponsored by ACC, Just the Beginning Foundation and Reed Smith. Maggy is the editorial coordinator of the ACC Docket and is responsible for editing the publication, writing monthly articles and creating corresponding multimedia pieces highlighting ACC members’ legal expertise and… Continue Reading
Thanks for the Compliment
Posted in ACC Docket(November — 2011) I am writing this blog post two weeks before ACC’s largest meeting of in-house counsel — our Annual Meeting. Let me clarify: Not only is this the largest meeting ACC has ever hosted, but it is also the largest meeting of in-house counsel anywhere. Anywhere, people … as in, the world. We… Continue Reading
Do You Feel Like the Weatherman?
Posted in ACC Docket(October — 2011) I am writing this blog post the week after an extremely busy news cycle in Washington, DC. Not only was the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial supposed to open on Aug. 26, but three days prior, the area was rocked by a 5.8 earthquake — something we aren’t exactly known for. As… Continue Reading
Vacationing for Two Weeks without My Cell Phone
Posted in ACC DocketMy family spent two weeks this summer in Italy without mobile phones. That’s right, people — a whole 14 days not answering text messages, phone calls or looking at our calendars. No Twitter or Facebook either. That almost killed me. When we were out, there were many times when my instinct was to reach for… Continue Reading
Changing the “Welcome to the Club” Mentality
Posted in ACC Docket(July/August — 2011) As we publish our annual career issue, the authors and ACC Docket staff offer a variety of excellent articles for you. But I often wonder about the next generation of in-house counsel. How will they get here and will they be prepared? The career path of a lawyer is not the easiest… Continue Reading