The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), a global legal association representing over 48,000 members in more than 100 countries, honoured its members, chapters, and networks for exemplary leadership and service during the 2024 ACC Annual Meeting.
The event, held in Nashville, Tennessee, celebrated the achievements of individuals and groups within the in-house counsel community.
ACC president and CEO Veta T. Richardson, along with immediate past global board chair Tracy Preston and newly elected global board chair Cristina Gonzalez, presented the awards to recognize those who have made significant contributions to advancing the goals of the ACC and supporting the professional growth of its members.
Among the top individual honourees, David G. Susler, associate general counsel at National Material LP and a board member of the ACC Chicago Chapter, received the Robert I. Townsend, Jr. Member of the Year Award. Susler’s efforts in the Diversity Law Student Summer Internship Program Committee were highlighted for their impact on promoting diversity in the legal profession.
The Jonathan S. Silber Outstanding Network Member of the Year Award was given to Krystal Saab, head of legal at Omni Retail Enterprises, for her leadership as program chair of the Small Law Department Network. Susan Duarte, senior corporate counsel at Roofstock, was also recognized with the same award for her roles as chair of the Financial Services Network and membership chair of the Women in the House Network.
Several ACC networks were also recognized for their contributions to the in-house legal community. The Outstanding Network of the Year Award went to the Sports and Entertainment Network in the small category, the Financial Services Network in the mid-sized category, and the Compliance and Ethics Network in the large category. Seyfarth received the Outstanding Network Sponsor of the Year Award for its collaboration with the Law Department Management Network.
ACC chapters were acknowledged for their achievements in programming, diversity, and membership strategy. The Outstanding Chapter Achievement Award for Innovative Programming Effort was awarded to the ACC Louisiana, ACC San Diego, and ACC Southern California chapters. The Best Partnership Program award was shared by ACC Southwest Ohio, ACC Central Florida, ACC Tampa Bay, and ACC New York City. The Best Diversity Initiative award went to ACC St. Louis and ACC Greater Philadelphia, while ACC Brasil and ACC Singapore were honoured for their Best Membership Strategy.