Speakers & Thought Leaders
Meet the legal leaders and industry experts sharing insights on litigation, compliance, regulatory trends, and the future of retail law.
Keynotes
Big Ideas. Real-World Impact.
Hear from industry leaders, legal experts, and policy voices tackling the forces reshaping retail. Keynotes and general sessions deliver the insights you need to navigate risk, lead with confidence, and stay ahead of what’s next.
Keynote and general session speakers bring forward the best and brightest minds in the industry and other multi-disciplinary change-makers forwarding the industry.
Our keynote and general session speaker line-up will be announced throughout the year, as we aim to bring you the most sought-after leaders. Please check back often as we update our agenda frequently as we get closer to the event.
Check Back Soon for the 2026 Lineup
Meet Some of Our Past Keynotes & General Session Speakers
Luis Avila
Senior Vice President, Corporate Governance & Chief Compliance Officer
As senior vice president, corporate governance and chief compliance officer, Luis Avila is responsible for corporate governance, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate sustainability, enterprise risk management and legal operations. He joined Lowe’s in 2024.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
| Anticipating and Managing Crises in an Uncertain World
Jodi Caro
General Counsel, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer
Jodi was named General Counsel, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer in August 2015. She also serves as Corporate Secretary and Chief Privacy Officer. Jodi oversees Ulta Beauty’s Legal, Risk & Governance Services team in delivering high quality legal, governance, compliance, risk management and property management services, as well as leading all Environmental, Social, and Governance efforts. Prior to joining Ulta Beauty, she was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Integrys Energy Group, in addition to holding the role of Integrys’ Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer. Prior to joining Integrys in 2008, Jodi owned and operated her own law practice, which provided general counsel and corporate services to clients ranging from established multi-million dollar companies to medium and small early-stage enterprises. Prior to opening her law practice in 2006, she was co-founder and General Counsel of Looking Glass Networks, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company and served as an in-house attorney with MCI/WORLDCOM. Jodi is also Vice-Chair of the Retail Litigation Center and serves on the Chicago-Kent College of Law Board of Advisors as well as the board of directors for Communities in Schools of Chicago.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:00 AM - 8:05 AM
| Welcome to the 2024 Retail Law Conference - Day 2
M. Kendall Day
Partner
M. Kendall Day is a nationally recognized white-collar partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he is co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group, co-chair of the firm’s Financial Institutions Practice Group, co-leads the firm’s Anti-Money Laundering practice, and is a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations and Crisis Management Practice Groups.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
| Anticipating and Managing Crises in an Uncertain World
Tina Dekker
SVP, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:40 PM - 2:20 PM
| Managing a Polarized Workforce
Stuart Delery
Partner
Stuart F. Delery is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the Crisis Management Practice Group and Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group. He is an experienced appellate and district court litigator who brings 30 years of experience at the highest levels of government and the private sector to help clients navigate major matters that present complex legal and reputational risks, particularly matters involving difficult statutory, regulatory and constitutional issues. His practice focuses on representing corporations and individuals in high-stake litigation and investigations that involve the federal government across the spectrum of regulatory litigation and enforcement.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
| Anticipating and Managing Crises in an Uncertain World
Sage Eastman
Partner
Sage Eastman is a senior Republican strategist with more than two decades of policy, political and government experience. Steeped in political campaigns and policy debates, Eastman is a sought-after advisor to a diverse group of businesses (from Fortune 50 companies to startups), trade associations, Members of Congress and their staff.
While Eastman is often utilized for his tax and health care expertise, his close relationships with Congressional leaders and wide respect from both sides of the aisle and on both sides of Capitol Hill make him a go-to for clients looking to affect a broad range of issues. With deep insights into Committee and Leadership thinking, Eastman has helped clients secure key victories amidst bicameral negotiations and provided guidance necessary to sustain lengthy legislative campaigns.
Before joining Mehlman Consulting, Eastman spearheaded several tax, health and trade efforts on the Hill— leading to the successful enactment of some of the largest reform efforts in Washington, DC, including three longed-stalled trade agreements, the tri-committee rewrite of the Sustainable Growth Rate (the so-called “doc fix”) and permanent extension of critical tax policy.
During his six years as a senior counselor to the Ways and Means Committee—serving variously as Senior Advisor, Deputy Staff Director and Director of Strategy—Roll Call named Eastman on multiple occasions to its “Fabulous 50” list, the Capitol Hill newspaper’s annual list of top Congressional staff.
Earlier in his career, Eastman was Communications Director and Senior Strategist to Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI). He joined Rep. Camp’s staff after nearly a decade in Michigan politics, where he first worked for then-Gov. John Engler, spearheaded the state GOP’s communications and research efforts, and served in the executive office of the Michigan Attorney General.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:10 PM - 1:40 PM
| 2024 Election: Implications for Leading Retailers
Todd Hartman
EVP, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer
Todd Hartman is general counsel and chief risk officer for Best Buy Co. Inc. In this role, he is responsible for the company’s legal activities and its global risk and compliance program. He also serves as corporate secretary.
Todd joined Best Buy in 2006. He most recently served as chief risk and compliance officer, overseeing enterprise data security, customer data privacy, enterprise risk management, global security, business continuity/disaster recovery, internal investigations, crisis response management and compliance and ethics. He continues to lead those functions in his current role.
Todd previously was Best Buy’s deputy general counsel from 2011 to 2017. Before that, he served as the company’s chief compliance officer and vice president of strategic alliances.
Prior to joining Best Buy, Todd was a partner at Minneapolis law firm Robins Kaplan. A Minnesota native, he worked for several years as a telecommunications and technology attorney in Washington, D.C., before returning to Minneapolis.
Todd received his law degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Northwestern University. He serves as chair of the Best Buy Foundation and on the board of the Guthrie Theater.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:40 PM - 2:20 PM
| Managing a Polarized Workforce
Amy Howe
Co-Founder
Until September 2016, Amy served as the editor and a reporter for SCOTUSblog; she continues to serve as an independent contractor and reporter for SCOTUSblog. She primarily writes for her eponymous blog, Howe on the Court. Before turning to full-time blogging, she served as counsel in over two dozen merits cases at the Supreme Court and argued two cases there. From 2004 until 2011, she co-taught Supreme Court litigation at Stanford Law School; from 2005 until 2013, she co-taught a similar class at Harvard Law School. She has also served as an adjunct professor at American University’s Washington College of Law and Vanderbilt Law School. Amy is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a master’s degree in Arab Studies and a law degree from Georgetown University.
Friday October 11, 2024
9:45 AM - 10:50 AM
| SCOTUS Review: Recent Decisions and Future Cases Impacting Retail
Michelle Kallen
Partner
Michelle Kallen, the former Solicitor General of Virginia, helps clients navigate complex matters before federal and state appellate courts. Leading companies in the aerospace and defense, hospitality, technology, and transportation industries benefit from her extensive government experience, unique insight into multistate and constitutional litigation matters, and award-winning appellate work.
Friday October 11, 2024
9:45 AM - 10:50 AM
| SCOTUS Review: Recent Decisions and Future Cases Impacting Retail
Poonam Kumar
Of Counsel
Poonam Kumar is of counsel in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn and a member of its White Collar Defense & Investigations and Litigation practice groups. She is a former federal prosecutor with significant first-chair trial experience and an extensive background in handling high-stakes criminal and civil matters across a broad range of practice areas. Poonam’s practice focuses on internal investigations, regulatory and criminal investigations, complex commercial litigation, and trials across a range of industries, including financial services, technology, media and entertainment, sports, telecommunications, energy, automotive, and healthcare.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
| Anticipating and Managing Crises in an Uncertain World
Jennifer Kraft
EVP & General Counsel
Jennifer Kraft joined Foot Locker as Executive Vice President & General Counsel in July 2023. Jennifer leads Foot Locker’s global legal team in delivering legal, governance and compliance services. With more than 25 years of legal experience, Jennifer is an accomplished legal professional who brings valuable business acumen, extensive public company experience, and diverse industry perspectives that benefit our strong legal team. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Starbucks and prior to that she served as Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at United Airlines. Prior to joining United, Jennifer served as Vice President and Corporate Secretary at Aon Corporation, and previously was a senior associate at Latham & Watkins. Jennifer also currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, and the Children at the Crossroads Foundation.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:05 AM - 8:50 AM
| CLOs Speak: Navigating the Evolving Role of Retail Legal Leadership
Roman Martinez
Partner
Roman Martinez, former Deputy Office Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office, represents clients in their highest-stakes appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as in federal and state appellate courts around the country.
Roman handles civil and criminal matters involving a wide range of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law issues.
Roman has argued 14 cases in the Supreme Court, including important cases in the fields of the First Amendment, administrative arbitration, copyright, patent law, criminal law, civil rights, employment, and civil and criminal procedure. In addition, he has argued dozens of appeals in the D.C., First, Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits, as well as in New York, California, New Jersey, Ohio, and Tennessee appellate courts, among others. Roman also regularly participates in district court litigation raising complex questions of federal law.
Friday October 11, 2024
9:45 AM - 10:50 AM
| SCOTUS Review: Recent Decisions and Future Cases Impacting Retail
Matthew McGill
Partner
Matthew McGill is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Co-Chair of the firm’s Judgment and Arbitral Award Enforcement and Betting and Gaming Practice Groups. He also is a member of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law and Sports Law Practice Groups. A three-time “Litigator of the Week” (AmLaw Litigation Daily), Matthew has been ranked by Chambers USA in Nationwide Appellate Law (2007-2024) and recognized by The National Law Journal as a 2020 “Litigation Trailblazer” for his pioneering work enforcing judgments against foreign sovereigns. He has participated in over two dozen cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, achieving several high-profile victories against foreign sovereigns. Currently, he represents clients in public enforcement matters against the governments of Argentina, India, Iran, Spain, and Venezuela.
Friday October 11, 2024
9:45 AM - 10:50 AM
| SCOTUS Review: Recent Decisions and Future Cases Impacting Retail
Lanesha Minnix
Executive Vice President and Global Chief Legal Officer
Lanesha oversees the company’s global legal, compliance, corporate governance and corporate security function. Minnix previously served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services operating in 170 countries, where she led all legal, compliance, regulatory, government relations and SH&E matters for the company.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:05 AM - 8:50 AM
| CLOs Speak: Navigating the Evolving Role of Retail Legal Leadership
Alex Perkins
Principal
Alex Perkins brings more than two decades of experience in politics, policy, and business to the Mehlman Consulting team. Alex most recently spent nine years at Stellantis NV (formerly Fiat Chrysler), where he frequently advised senior management on important and time-sensitive policy issues and political and reputational risk, including risk associated with sourcing and investment decisions. A top expert in trade, customs, and supply chain issues, Alex developed and executed government relations and public affairs strategies to guide the Fortune 500 automaker through a wide-range of trade-related matters, including the North American Free Trade Agreement/United States Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA/USMCA) renegotiations. In fact, Alex helped lead the multi-sector USMCA business coalition of over 100 companies that successfully secured Congressional approval of the updated trade pact. And in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex managed the regulatory issues associated with the company’s purchase, manufacturing, importation, export, and donation of personal protective equipment (PPE).
While at Stellantis, Alex also served on the Steering Group of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, a $50+ million public-private initiative working to implement the World Trade Organization (WTO)Trade Facilitation Agreement obligations in developing countries. In addition to managing the company’s trade, customs and supply chain policy, Alex directed a team responsible for internal and external stakeholder education and outreach, healthcare, labor and workforce policy, and economic impact analysis.
Prior to Stellantis, Alex served as a trade counsel on the House Ways & Means Committee from 2007-2012. There, he helped the Committee enact into law Trade Adjustment Assistance, tariff preference program, Burma sanctions and Miscellaneous Tariff Bill legislation, as well as pass the U.S.-Peru, U.S-Korea, and U.S.-Panama free trade agreements. Alex began his service on Capitol Hill in 2005 as counsel to Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) where he managed a broad portfolio that included trade, judiciary, foreign policy, and national security issues.
Alex currently serves on the board of directors of the Washington International Trade Association, a non-profit, non-partisan forum for dialogue on trade policy. He previously served on the boards of the American Auto Policy Council and the National Foreign Trade Council. He is also a past chair of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Customs and Border Working Group.
In 2022, Alex was included in the Washingtonian Magazine’s list of “500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy”.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:10 PM - 1:40 PM
| 2024 Election: Implications for Leading Retailers
Laura Pierson-Scheinberg
Principal
Laura A. Pierson-Scheinberg is a principal in the San Francisco, California, and Baltimore, Maryland, offices of Jackson Lewis P.C and is the leader of the Retail industry group. Laura represents employers in labor and employment matters, with a particular focus on traditional labor issues, union elections and unfair labor practice charges. She has extensive experience in collective bargaining, from serving as chief spokesperson to developing strategy behind the scenes. Laura's background includes bargaining for both large and small clients from a local to a national level in a wide range of industries, including, but not limited to, manufacturing, retail and healthcare. When recessive bargaining and labor-management disputes become strikes, she has worked with her clients to develop contingency plans and strike preparedness. She also has experience with government contractors subject to the Service Contract Act.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:40 PM - 2:20 PM
| Managing a Polarized Workforce
Juliette Pryor
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
As chief legal officer and corporate secretary, Juliette Pryor leads the company’s legal, compliance, government affairs, corporate sustainability, enterprise risk management and privacy functions, and advises the board of directors. She joined Lowe’s in 2023.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:05 AM - 8:50 AM
| CLOs Speak: Navigating the Evolving Role of Retail Legal Leadership
Teresa Roseborough
Executive Vice President, General Counsel
Teresa Wynn Roseborough is responsible for The Home Depot’s legal functions, government relations and external communications. In addition, as corporate secretary, Teresa serves as a liaison between the board of directors and the company and is responsible for all corporate governance matters.
Teresa and the legal team are responsible for securities, litigation, employment, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, store operations, risk management and intellectual property. She also leads the government relations team as they address legislative issues that impact the business environment, the retail industry and our associates. Teresa also oversees Home Depot’s external communications team, including all corporate, consumer and nonprofit communication functions.
Before joining The Home Depot in 2011, Teresa held several positions in the legal department of MetLife, and she was formerly a partner in the firm that is now Eversheds Sutherland. Teresa’s more than 30 years of legal experience also includes government service as deputy assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice; law clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge James Dickson Phillips of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; and an employee of the Department of Defense in West Germany.
Teresa was named one of 25 Influential Black Women in Business by The Network Journal and as one of America’s top black attorneys by Black Enterprise. Her civic involvements include serving as a public member of the Administrative Conference of the U.S., co-chair of the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, a member of the Board of Overseers of the RAND Corporation Institute for Civil Justice, and a member of the Board of Directors of Piedmont Healthcare.
Teresa earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in education from Boston University, and a juris doctor with high honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was editor-in-chief of the Law Review.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:50 AM - 9:30 AM
| The Art of Communication: Mastering Legal Messaging in Retail
Sam Tarry
Partner
Sam is the co-leader of McGuireWoods’ Product Liability & Mass Tort practice group, a member of the firm’s Trial Practice Steering Committee, and a past chair of the Product and Consumer Litigation department. For nearly three decades, he has represented clients in tort, environmental, and public health litigation in state and federal courts across the country. A fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, he has won jury trial verdicts in ten states and successfully managed thousands of cases to resolution.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:50 AM - 9:30 AM
| The Art of Communication: Mastering Legal Messaging in Retail
Larry Spiegel
Partner and General Counsel
Mr. Spiegel has represented clients in both federal and state courts, and in connection with investigations by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and various state attorneys general’s offices, as well as district attorneys’ offices. He has successfully defended many clients in high-profile criminal investigations and indictments, in civil litigations and on appeal. In addition, he has led many corporate internal investigations, including in cross-border contexts, and has advised boards of directors and management of public and private companies on compliance issues and programs, including those related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering and securities regulations.
Thursday October 10, 2024
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
| Legal Ethics: Navigating Gray Areas and Emerging Challenges
Peyton Smith
Attorney
One look at the labyrinth of arrows and notes on his whiteboard wall reveals that, for Peyton, collaborative thinking and creative strategies are the pathways to success for his clients. Drawing on his wide range of experiences, from clerking on the Fifth Circuit to justice system reform work in Uganda to prosecutorial trial work in Boston, Peyton strives to identify the most effective course of action in all his cases. To Peyton, the legal system remains a system comprised of people striving for resolution in occasionally unpredictable and imperfect ways. As such, part of Peyton's approach is to consider the human element in every case, something he considers essential to providing a thoughtful representation that gets results. In this vein, Peyton can often be found scribbling on that whiteboard wall and brainstorming with his coworkers to craft solutions that meet the unique needs and goals of his clients.
Thursday October 10, 2024
8:50 AM - 9:30 AM
| The Art of Communication: Mastering Legal Messaging in Retail
Michael Wu
Chief Legal Officer
Wu serves as chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Bath & Body Works having joined the business in May 2021. Wu oversees the legal, ethics and compliance, regulatory compliance and trade compliance teams.
Wu is a four-time public company general counsel and corporate secretary with nearly 30 years of experience in growth companies and retail. He has deep expertise in corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, compliance and risk management, as well as in securities, merger and acquisition and international expansion.
Prior to joining Bath & Body Works, Wu served as chief legal officer and corporate secretary for Madewell, a division of J. Crew, where he drove the company’s preparation for an initial public offering and spin-off. He previously served as general counsel at Carter’s, a leading children’s apparel brand; Rosetta Stone, an education technology software company; and Teleglobe, an international telecommunications company.
Wu earned his undergraduate degree from Emory University and his juris doctorate degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Wu serves on the advisory boards of the Georgetown Law Corporate Counsel Institute and the Asian American Bar Association of New York. He is also a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association board of directors.
Wednesday October 9, 2024
1:40 PM - 2:20 PM
| Managing a Polarized Workforce
Monica Welt
President, RLC - Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Ms. Welt joins RILA and the RLC after nine years with the Ohio-based retailer Big Lots. At Big Lots, Ms. Welt built the company’s first compliance department, then ascended through the legal department, rising to Deputy General Counsel in 2021. In that role, Ms. Welt was the retailer’s top compliance leader and assistant corporate secretary, leading legal, compliance and corporate governance strategies for the $6 billion public company. Among her responsibilities were leading cross-functional activities, including supporting the retailer’s omnichannel strategy, establishing oversight for sourcing operations abroad, and co-leading the company’s nationwide response to COVID.
During her time at Big Lots, Ms. Welt was an active participant in several RILA peer communities.
Prior to joining Big Lots, Ms. Welt focused on product liability litigation and risk management as an attorney with Crowell & Moring, LLP, in Washington, DC. Ms. Welt began her career as a trade attorney at Dewey Ballantine LLP and later as a litigator at Wallace King Domike & Branson.
Wednesday October 8, 2025
4:40 PM - 5:30 PM
| Agile by Design: Leading Legal Teams with Purpose and Precision
Event Recap
A look back at the Retail Law Conference, featuring key moments, expert-led discussions, and connections among retail legal leaders and law firm partners.
Who Attends
Retail’s leading legal executives and outside counsel come together to share insights, navigate challenges, and build meaningful connections.
