LACCA Regional Meeting - Miami

José Sariego, general counsel of HBO Latin America

Sergio Alvarez Mena, executive director, legal and compliance, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Pamela Woldow, Edge International

Patricia Menendez-Cambo, Greenberg Traurig LLP

Juan Francisco Torres-Landa, Barrera Siqueiros & Torres Landa SC

Pedro Amaral-Dinkhuysen, managing partner - Latin America region, Laurence Simons

Angela María Camacho, associate general counsel, Microsoft Latin America

Samuel Libnic, general counsel Latin America and the Caribbean, Citigroup

Simon Strong, senior managing partner, FTI Consulting

Luiz Sette, former AGC, Microsoft Latin America

Juan Pablo Cappello, Greenberg Traurig LLP

Sebastian O'Meara, Latin Lawyer

Clare Bolton, Latin Lawyer

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME

9.30am arrival and registration

10am – Welcoming remarks

            Sebastian O'Meara, Latin Lawyer

           Randy Bullard, Greenberg Traurig LLP

10.15 - In the driving seat

The balance of power is shifting between in-house and external counsel, requiring law firms to rethink the services they offer – driving fundamental changes in fees structures, law firm business models, and client relationships. Clare Bolton will lead a conversation on how the recession, globalisation and focus on technology and efficiency are pushing core changes in the type of advice clients want from firms, and how clients can demand it.

• José Sariego, general counsel of HBO Latin America
• Sergio Alvarez Mena, executive director, legal and compliance, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
• Pamela Woldow, Edge International
• Patricia Menendez-Cambo, Greenberg Traurig LLP
• Juan Francisco Torres-Landa, Barrera Siqueiros & Torres Landa SC

Moderated by Clare Bolton, Latin Lawyer – although like all LACCA meetings, contributions from all delegates are encouraged

11.15 Coffee

11.30 roundtable discussions:  

• Doing more with less

One of the lasting effects of the recession has been a growing drive for efficiency in in-house teams, as budgets have grown tighter while the demand for services have, if anything, grown. Better technology has been a key tool, enabling commodity services to be dispensed quickly and easily - but what works best for a regional in-house team?

- presentation by: Angela María Camacho, associate general counsel, Microsoft Latin America

•  Attracting and building the right team

Across Latin America, but in Brazil in particular, salaries are on the rise as the competition for talent heats up. How can you attract people of the right quality? And what do you need to offer them?

- presentation by: Pedro Amaral-Dinkhuysen, managing partner - Latin America region, Laurence Simons

• The trend towards “going local”

Do you need to be a US lawyer to be a ‘regional’ inhouse counsel? What are the benefits of having a diverse team, and what risks or costs does it impose?

- presentation by: Juan Pablo Cappello, shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP

1pm - Lunch

2.30pm – The best Best Practice

Across the US, the most innovative and forward-thinking general counsel are changing the formula of how legal work is done, how it is funded, and the very definition of being a strong business partner. Pamela Woldow of Edge International will present real examples from her wide range of clients of the best of these innovations, and how really creative thinking about the in-house role is showing significant added value to companies.

4.15 Coffee

• Managers, not lawyers - or vice versa

From one point of view, the regional general counsel is predominantly a manager of people, not a lawyer, and should delegate legal responsibility to in-country general counsel while making sure that they have the right environment and backing to do that job well. How feasible is that in Latin America? What are the risks involved?

- presentation by: Samuel Libnic, regional general counsel, Citibank

• Keeping the cost of investigations under control

The cost of internal investigations, be they about FCPA, antitrust, or fraud issues, is rising significantly - and yet they are only getting more frequent, and more complex. How can regional GCs ensure they are being rigorous, without breaking the bank?

 - presentation by: Simon Strong, FTI Consulting

• The revolving door

Increasingly in Latin America, some time spent running a legal department is seen as a strong and valuable career choice for senior lawyers. What are the ups and downs of moving from partnership to general counsel (and back again)? And while a senior in-house role will undoubtedly bring a more global perspective to practice, are there downsides to this experience as Latin America grows in importance in the world?

Presentation by: Luiz Sette, former VP and associate general counsel at Microsoft

• Benchmarking in-house teams in Latin America

LACCA is launching a landmark project to provide key benchmarking matrices, tailor-made for in-house departments in Latin America. In this interactive session, LATINLAWYER editor Clare Bolton will lead a discussion on early models of the benchmarking tool, what key measurements would help you compare your team’s performance with others’ in the region, and how the tool will be most useful to you.

6pm Cocktails

8pm - Dinner at Fogo de Chão in Miami Beach for all delegates, hosted by Greenberg Traurig LLP - please rsvp to confirm your attendance at dinner

The Latin American Corporate Counsel Association meeting in Miami is sponsored by Greenberg Traurig LLP, BSTL Abogados, Aguilar Castillo Love and FTI Consulting.