Retail Law Conference
Chicago, IL

2023 Program

Our comprehensive program is designed to give you a full range of retail-specific legal education. This year's education line-up will bring you the latest on retail-specific legal issues such as employment, litigation cases, regulatory developments, workplace safety, taxes, and more!

Your learning journey at the Retail Law Conference is sure to help you stay on top of what's next and what's to come in the world of retail. No matter what type of legal work is on your desk, there is something for you! Please check back often as we update our program as we get closer to the event. All times listed are local to Atlanta, GA.

Agenda

Print Agenda
  • Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
  • Thursday Oct 26, 2023
  • Friday Oct 27, 2023
9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your registration materials here, along with answers to all your questions.

Location
Grand Ballroom Foyer
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM 2 Concurrent Events

Compliance Council Meeting

  • Committee Meeting
Chief Ethics and Compliance Officers and their designees will be meeting to address current compliance issues that affect retailers as well as challenges and opportunities with standing up, maturing and maintaining robust compliance programs and a corporate culture promoting ethical culture and compliance. This is a private meeting for RILA's Compliance Council members only.

Location
Highland Ballroom 1-2

RLC Meeting of the Members

  • Committee Meeting
The Retail Litigation Center’s retail and law firm members will convene for their annual meeting to elect directors, learn about the RLC’s latest work, and discuss litigation trends impacting retailers. This is a private meeting for RLC retail and law firm members only.

Location
Library
12:00 PM – 1:45 PM 2 Concurrent Events

Chief Legal Officer Committee Meeting

  • Committee Meeting
The CLO’s of the nation’s leading retailers will convene over lunch to discuss current issues facing the retail industry’s top lawyers as they navigate a variety of opportunities and challenges with the c-suite, boards of directors and their departments. This is a private lunch and meeting only for RILA's Chief Legal Officer Committee.

Location
Buckhead Ballroom

Legal Direct Reports Committee Meeting

  • Committee Meeting
The lawyers who report directly to the most senior lawyer in their company share a unique set of issues and face their own challenges. These “L2’s” will convene over lunch to discuss the issues and opportunities that they encounter. This is a private lunch and meeting only for RILA's Legal Direct Reports (or L2) Committee.

Location
Azalea
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Speaker Ready Room

Location
Meeting Planner Office 2
2:15 PM – 2:25 PM

Welcome to the Retail Law Conference!

  • General Session
Retail legal counsel face a volatile world and increasing demands from New Retail. From changing federal regulations to advancing technology, from novel business lines to new customer and employee expectations, this new retail creates challenges for retail legal counsel to understand new opportunities and risks and provide dynamic counsel to accelerate the business. Welcome to the Retail Law Conference 2023 – the place to develop that understanding, to fully engage with elite experts and true peers, and to prepare for the future.

Speaker
Deborah White
Senior Executive Vice President & General Counsel
RILA
Location
Grand Ballroom
2:25 PM – 2:55 PM

Exploring Retail's Transformation: Analyzing Key Trends Reshaping the Industry

  • General Session
To advise in the New Retail, counsel need to understand emerging trends. Join this conversation with a retail data expert sharing key insights about shifting consumer behaviors and emerging market dynamics.

Speakers
Brian Dodge
President
RILA
Don Unser
President, Thought Leadership
Circana
Location
Grand Ballroom
2:55 PM – 3:40 PM

AI and Retail: Navigating AI Adoption in the Dynamic Retail Landscape

  • General Session
The hottest topic in retail raises a host of questions for retail counsel. Move beyond the hype for a practical conversation about AI and technology governance with leading practitioners. Discover how retailers are leveraging AI technologies to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive innovation. Gain insights into the legal and ethical considerations of AI implementation and learn how to provide effective counsel in the rapidly evolving AI-driven retail landscape.

Speakers
Stuart Levi
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Peter Muniz
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel
The Home Depot
Hossein Nowbar
Chief Legal Officer
Microsoft Corporation
Location
Grand Ballroom
3:40 PM – 4:30 PM

Conversation with the Enforcers: Consumer Protection Enforcement Trends

  • General Session
Join top officials from the two leading federal consumer protection agencies to discuss enforcement trends. Led by two former high-level officials who recently moved to the private sector, this session will illuminate federal priorities and provide insight into the most important consumer protection topics affecting retail today.

Speakers
Anna Burns
Director, Southeast Region
Federal Trade Commission
Gus Eyler
Partner
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Svetlana Gans
Partner
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Arun Rao
Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection Branch
U.S. Department of Justice
Location
Grand Ballroom
5:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Fall Fest at The Home Depot HQ!

Join us for a special evening at The Home Depot’s Store Support Center, where you will have a unique opportunity to tour the retailer’s museum and see the company’s executive campus. Enjoy artisanal dishes, craft beer tastings, and live music as you reconnect with colleagues and meet new friends at the Retail Law Conference Fall Fest. All conference registrants are welcome - no separate registration required. Shuttles depart from the lower lobby level beginning at 5 p.m. You will need your conference badge and government-issued I.D. to access the event.

Location
Home Depot Headquarters
7:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your registration materials here, along with answers to all your questions.

Location
Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

Location
Grand Ballroom
Sponsored By
McCarthy Tetrault
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM

Rule of Law: Nurturing Business Confidence in Democracies

  • General Session
The Rule of Law is a bedrock principle underpinning American democracy. This discussion with former U.S. Solicitor General Seth Waxman and The Home Depot’s CLO Teresa Roseborough will explore every lawyer’s role in fostering access to justice and creating confidence in the rule of law and legal institutions.

Speakers
Teresa Roseborough
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
The Home Depot
Seth Waxman
Former Solicitor General of the United States
Partner, WilmerHale
Location
Grand Ballroom
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Speaker Ready Room

Location
Meeting Planner Office 2
9:20 AM – 10:00 AM

The Role of the Chief Legal Officer in Preserving the Corporate “Rule of Law”

  • General Session
The breadth of the Chief Legal Officer portfolio has expanded significantly in recent years so that it includes far more than an organization’s legal work. Join three leading retail Chief Legal Officers to discuss the broad strategic responsibilities that top lawyers must have today, including their role as the “corporate conscience,” ability to navigate complex business and societal challenges, and driving innovation in the new retail ecosystem.

Speakers
Michelle Banks
Senior Advisor
BarkerGilmore
Timothy Cheatham
Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer
Michaels
Monica Howard Douglas
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
The Coca-Cola Company
Don Liu
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & Compliance Officer
Target
Location
Grand Ballroom
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Business Break

Location
Lobby Level
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM 4 Concurrent Events

Maximizing Insurance Protection from Security and Financial Threats

  • Breakout Session
New Retail has changed how retailers interact with customers, employees, and suppliers, which in turn has led to new security and financial threats, such as privacy litigation risk (e.g., BIPA), property damage and business interruption, cyberattacks, and new ESG risks. Strategic insurance placement and claims handling can mitigate these threats. This session will expose new risks and share leading practices in using insurance to mitigate retail risk.

Speakers
BIll Ellison
Vice President, Associate General Counsel
Lowe's
Nick Hill
Partner
McGuireWoods
David Ross
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Enterprise Compliance
Giant Eagle
Tony Tatum
Partner
McGuireWoods
Location
Highland Ballroom 1-2

Mitigating Antitrust Risk from Pricing Policies

  • Breakout Session
Pricing goods and services is core to the retail business, but can run afoul of the antitrust laws if done improperly. From the recently resurrected Robinson-Patman Act to pricing algorithms and artificial intelligence, retail counsel should be mindful of critical antitrust developments. This session will cover the latest, and provide practical steps that in-house lawyers can adopt to manage risk and avoid pricing pitfalls.

Speakers
Robin Crauthers
Senior Counsel
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Michelle Yost Hale
Partner
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Ben Thorpe
Senior Corporate Counsel
The Home Depot
Location
Library

The Most Pressing Advertising Issues Facing Retail In-House Counsel Today

  • Breakout Session
Dive into the biggest advertising issues retail in-house counsel face today and real-world approaches to solving them. Endorsements, greenwashing claims, “dark patterns,” and rights clearance in the commercial setting will all be discussed. In-house and outside counsel will share practical tips and relevant context for how to manage these issues in the New Retail environment.

Speakers
Michelle Freeman
Senior Counsel
Sherwin-Williams
Hannah Taylor
Partner and Co-Chair of the Advertising Group
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
Location
Highland Ballroom 3-5

Top 10 Employment Law Mistakes of the Year (And How To Avoid Them)

  • Breakout Session
Retail has one of the largest employee bases of any industry. From processing shift changes or terminations on the fly, to assuming that employees will follow your policies, employment law mistakes and the litigation that ensues are costly. This presentation will highlight the top 10 employment law mistakes that land companies in litigation along with tips and reminders on how to avoid them.

Speakers
Jacqueline Beaumont
Shareholder
Call & Jensen
Ellen Cohen
Shareholder
Call & Jensen
Stan Hill
Senior Labor & Employment Counsel
Floor & Decor
Location
Azalea
11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Business Break

Sponsored by Dentons

Location
Lobby Level
Sponsored By
Dentons
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM 4 Concurrent Events

International Retail Risks in Today’s ESG Environment

  • Breakout Session
The New Retail means that even U.S.-based retailers may face international ESG risks from eCommerce and supply chain activity, if not brick-and-mortar stores. We will cover the opportunities and challenges of operating both brick and mortar and e-commerce internationally; current ESG issues; enhanced regulatory frameworks and related enforcement; and growing consumer activism, media attention, and crises linked to international environmental and social issues. We’ll discuss the legal and commercial practicalities retail counsel must consider to manage risks from international expansion.

Speakers
Matt Clark
Shareholder & Co-Leader, Corporate National Practice Group
Dentons
Anna Copeman
Partner
Dentons
Chris Lucas
Senior Director and Associate General Counsel
American Eagle Outfitters
Location
Library

Managing C-Suite Employees: Strategies for Investigating Misconduct Allegations Effectively

  • Breakout Session
Join us for an interactive session focused on key interests and risks that accompany C-suite and “superstar” workplace issues in retail. Topics include conducting investigations and assessing risk, privilege considerations, SEC and regulatory risks, communications (with boards, shareholders, employees, and the media), tactics for preserving confidential business information, and tips for using the event as a leadership teaching moment for the whole organization.

Speakers
David Benck
SVP & General Counsel
Hibbett
Adriana Midence
Principal
Jackson Lewis
Laura Pierson-Scheinberg
Principal
Jackson Lewis
Location
Azalea

Retailer-Only Roundtable: Mass Arbitration

  • Breakout Session
Mass arbitration threats, particularly in connection with consumer privacy claims, are increasing exponentially as several new plaintiffs’ firms and litigation funders are entering this space. Join in-house colleagues and some of the foremost defense thinkers to discuss the latest developments and strategies for mitigating these evolving risks. Participation in this session is limited to retailers and capacity is limited to 48 attendees.

Speakers
Heather New
AVP--Senior Legal Counsel, Appellate Litigation and Consumer Arbitration
AT&T
Meredith Slawe
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Location
Ivy

Unsung Heroes No More: 8 Ways for Legal to Increase Value and Mitigate Risk from Economic Development Incentives Projects

  • Breakout Session
The value of economic development incentives can be 10-20% of the capital expenditures associated with a typical qualifying project. Yet, the legal work is often an afterthought. Presenters (who have collectively led projects in more than 30 states) will use a mini-case study approach based on real projects to illustrate eight specific ways in-house counsel can increase value and mitigate risk.

Speakers
Lisa Daugherty
Director, Economic Development
Kroger
Scott Ziance
Partner
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
Location
Highland Ballroom 3-5
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM

Luncheon

Location
Grand Ballroom
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM 4 Concurrent Events

Chasing the “Get Out of Jail Free” Card: Positioning Your Company to Minimize Enforcement Risk

  • Breakout Session
Aggressive enforcement poses not just civil, but criminal risk to retailers and their executives. Well-structured compliance policies and procedures can mitigate these dangers. Experts will share insights and takeaways from recent U.S. Department of Justice corporate criminal enforcement actions and policies in order to help retail counsel prepare for and respond to agency scrutiny.

Speakers
Joey Burby
Partner
Alston & Bird
Michelle Davis
Founder and Managing Partner
Artemis Advisory
Jocelyn Hunter
Vice President & Deputy General Counsel
The Home Depot, Inc.
Albert "BJ" Stieglitz
Partner
Alston & Bird
Location
Library

Defending Corporate DEI Programs After the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions Decision

  • Breakout Session
The Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions decision has touched off a legal and political powder keg. Although ostensibly limited to academic admissions, the Title VII analysis that underlies the decision is being used by state enforcers and private litigants against major employers. Discuss tools to anticipate potential legal challenges and measures to ensure compliance with the law for corporate DEI programs.

Speakers
Melanie Cook
Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Labor & Employment
Dollar General
Tony Robinson
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer
Carter's
Farnaz Thompson
Partner
McGuireWoods
Sarah Wake
Partner
McGuireWoods
Location
Azalea

Game Theory and Other Strategies To Combat Asymmetrical Litigation Tactics

  • Breakout Session
Social media advertising, claimant databases, mass arbitration, distributed arbitration, and unconsolidated mass actions are all asymmetrical tactics the plaintiffs’ bar is adopting. We’ll discuss innovative responses you can use, such as game theory, collateral actions, leveraging data analysis, and industry collaboration. The other side is capitalizing on new innovations to update their playbooks. Shouldn’t you?

Speakers
Craig Cardon
Privacy & Security Leader
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
Alyssa Sones
Associate
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
Kathleen Stevens
General Counsel
J. Jill
Location
Highland Ballroom 1-2

Navigating Corporate Crises: Complying with Ethics Rules While Facing “Unknown Unknowns”

  • Breakout Session
In-house counsel, who are often the frontlines for managing the business and legal implications of unexpected crises, must manage these situations within the legal rules of ethics. We’ll use a mock “situation room” in which participants will serve as General Counsel to a hypothetical retailer to discuss a series of crises while aided by outside counsel ethics experts and in-house counsel perspective.

Speakers
Sheila Armbrust
Partner
Sidley Austin
Danielle Hohos
Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel
Williams-Sonoma
Amy Lally
Partner
Sidley Austin
Location
Highland Ballroom 3-5
3:15 PM – 3:45 PM

Business Break

Sponsored by Dentons

Location
Grand Ballroom Foyer
Sponsored By
Dentons
3:45 PM – 4:50 PM

Decoding the Supreme Court: Critical Insights for Retailers

  • General Session
The Supreme Court continues to deliver landmark decisions with wide-ranging implications for the country and the business environment. A mere three weeks after the Court will open its OT23 Term, this session will dive into the recent decisions retailers need to understand, what to expect in the coming Term, and what else is happening at the Court.

Speakers
Jonathan Ellis
Partner
McGuireWoods
Amy Howe
Co-Founder
SCOTUSblog
Joseph Palmore
Partner
Morrison & Foerster
Morgan Ratner
Partner
Sullivan & Cromwell
Jaime Santos
Partner
Goodwin Procter
Location
Grand Ballroom
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Reception

Location
Japanese Garden & Terrace - 3rd Floor
Sponsored By
McGuire Woods & Skadden
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

Life Beyond the Law Breakfast

Join us for breakfast and a conversation with AutoZone General Counsel Jenna Bedsole as she shares her experience as a documentary filmmaker and founder of Free Works Productions.

Speakers
Jenna Bedsole
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
AutoZone
Larissa Whittingham
Litigation Counsel, RLC
RILA
Location
Grand Ballroom
Sponsored By
McCarthy Tetrault
7:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your registration materials here, along with answers to all your questions.

Location
Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Speaker Ready Room

Location
Meeting Planner Office 2
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM 4 Concurrent Events

A View from the Frontlines: How To Prepare and Respond to the NLRB’s Activist Agenda

  • Breakout Session
The union organizing landscape is rapidly changing with little signs of slowing. In fact, the new tactics are being amplified by the NLRB and its activist agenda against non-union employers. Join us as we discuss the latest organizing trends and their impact on retailers, as well as how to prepare and respond to a union campaign, and strategies for working with union representatives.

Speakers
Amber Rogers
Partner
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Neetu Sehgal
Assistant General Counsel
BJ's Wholesale Club
Kevin White
Partner
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Location
Azalea

New Tech Meets Wage and Hour Litigation

  • Breakout Session
The science fiction of the past has become the science fact of our present. Join us to explore how technological advances impacting how we live and work are being used against employers in wage and hour litigation, and how employers can use technology to increase efficiencies, mitigate risk, and defend against claims. We’ll discuss key trends and practical guidance for leveraging technology to your advantage in wage and hour actions.

Speakers
Tritia Murata
Partner
Morrison & Foerster
Julie Stockton
Sr. Counsel for Employment Litigation
Gap
David Zins
Partner
Morrison & Foerster
Location
Library

Retailer-Only Roundtable: Keeping Up With Rapidly Evolving Privacy Law and Policy Arena

  • Breakout Session
Privacy laws and regulations create an ever-growing patchwork in the United States. What do retailers need to know? Discuss recent and upcoming changes with our speakers and fellow retailers. Participation in this session is limited to retailers and capacity is limited to 48 attendees.

Speakers
Emma Blaser
Counsel
Venable
Arlene Mu
Assistant General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Location
Ivy

Unleashing the Power of Generative AI: Achieving Retail Success via Risk Mitigation and Compliance

  • Breakout Session
Retailers can effectively navigate the generative AI frontier if they understand the emerging issues, anticipate potential risks, and adopt best practice strategies for compliance. Join outside counsel and in-house experts as they discuss valuable insights, practical guidance, and actionable steps to safeguard your business and thrive in the dynamic world of AI-driven New Retail.

Speakers
Amber Hall
Vice President, Chief Compliance & Privacy Officer
Cox Communications
Petrina McDaniel
Partner
Squire Patton Boggs
Adwoa Seymour
Vice President Litigation
Albertsons
Location
Highland Ballroom 3-5
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Business Break

Location
Lobby Level
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM 4 Concurrent Events

Class Actions and Government Enforcement on Product Claims and Related ESG Issues

  • Breakout Session
Retailers continue to face class action litigation and government regulation related to specific products and claims made about them. This panel will examine recent case theories, developing standing jurisprudence, settlements, new agency rules, and ESG risks in the context of class action litigation around product review challenges, food, sustainability, and other ESG claims.

Speakers
Jonathan Brightbill
Partner
Winston & Strawn
Amanda Groves
Partner
Winston & Strawn
Monica Welt
Deputy GC, VP Compliance & Asst. Corp. Sec.
Big Lots
Jennifer Yoo
Senior Counsel
Gap
Location
Highland Ballroom 1-2

Corporate Enforcement Update: Executive Compensation, Compliance Certification, and Other Issues of Government Concern

  • Breakout Session
New changes in federal enforcement policies create increased risks that impact decision-making for retail industry lawyers and compliance officers. Federal priorities include prosecuting corporate executives and requiring certifications that company policies meet federal standards. Join former Justice Department leaders and current in-house lawyers and learn how retailers should respond to enhanced scrutiny of executive compensation, compliance policies, and corporate misconduct.

Speakers
Rocky Robins
EVP, Chief Legal and Governance Officer
Big Lots
Rod Rosenstein
Partner
King & Spalding LLP
Sally Yates
Partner
King & Spalding LLP
Location
Highland Ballroom 3-5

How To Protect Your Confidential Information When Non-Compete Agreements Are Losing Favor

  • Breakout Session
The law surrounding non-compete agreements is changing at a rapid pace as federal, state, and local governments step up enforcement and enact new legislation, and private litigants are increasingly bringing actions to invalidate overreaching provisions. Explore the current and upcoming standards for non-competition agreements and discuss strategies that retail counsel can use to address the risks and protect business confidential information without unlawfully restricting an employee’s post-employment mobility within her chosen field.

Speakers
Claudia Levitas
Associate General Counsel
Roark Capital
Heather Sager
Partner
Perkins Coie
Tammy Stafford
DVP-Assistant General Counsel
Harbor Freight
Location
Library

Protecting the Company, the Board, and the C-Suite: Securities and Derivative Litigation

  • Breakout Session
A cottage industry of plaintiffs’ lawyers has continued their assault against retailers and their boards and executives. Median securities class action settlements rose by 50% in 2022, with $4 billion in aggregate settlements and filings against retailers doubling in proportion to total cases. Join expert securities litigators for advice in areas including disclosures, individual fiduciary duties, accepting cryptocurrency for payments, and DEI and ESG initiatives.

Speakers
Alexander Drylewski
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Melinda McAfee
Chief Human Resources Officer & Chief Legal Officer
Victoria’s Secret
Susan Saltzstein
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Tansy Woan
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Location
Azalea
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Business Break

Location
Grand Ballroom Foyer
11:15 AM – 12:20 PM

Legal Ethics: The Game

  • General Session
Legal ethics are a cornerstone of the legal profession. Join this session applying the rules of legal ethics to areas retail counsel are most likely to encounter in a fun new gameshow style format. Channel your inner Ken Jennings and compete to be the ethics champ.

Speaker
Rebecca Ambrose
Principal & Deputy General Counsel
Jackson Lewis
Location
Grand Ballroom
All times listed in Eastern Time (ET). Schedule Subject to Change.

Attend the can’t miss event for your retail law team!

Save the Date