In-House Counsel Institute

Toni M. Jaeger-Fine, Senior Counselor and Adjunct Professor of Law, Fordham University

Amadeu Ribeiro, Partner, DLA Piper; Fordham Law LL.M., '17

• Alessandra Del Debbio, Vice President of Legal and Corporate Matters for Latin America, Microsoft
• John Frantz, Partner, DLA Piper; former General Counsel, Verizon Business
• Fabiana Leschziner, Chief Governance and Compliance Officer, Embraer
• Barbara Levi, Group General Counsel and Member of the Group Executive Board, UBS
• Augusto C. Lima, Deputy General Counsel, Molina Healthcare, Inc.
• Donna Miller, former Senior Counsel, DLA Piper; former Global General Counsel, Olympus Corporation
• Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences
• Allen Waxman, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; former President and Chief Executive Officer, CPR; former General Counsel, Pfizer

Optional Introductory Session: Thursday, September 3

Regular Program Dates: Thursdays, September 10 – December 10, 2026 (except November 26)

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. (New York time)

Online Via Zoom & Synchronous (sessions will NOT be recorded for future viewing)

Speakers from the 2026 program hold or have held high-level legal positions at the following companies. All speakers appear in their personal capacities. 

CLE credit is approved for the 2025 program in accordance with the requirements of the New York State and New Jersey State CLE Boards for a maximum of 12 credits. CLE credits for the 2026 program, if any, may change from those provided below for reference.

New York credits are non-transitional (experienced) in the following areas (subject to change):

• 8.0 Professional Practice credits
• 1.0 Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection General credits
• 1.0 Law Practice Management credit
• 2.0 Ethics credits.

New Jersey credits are in the following areas (subject to change):

• 9.0 Professional Practice credits
• 1.0 client management specific credit
• 2.0 Ethics credits.

Attendees seeking credit in another state must apply to their states' CLE Board for credit.

Introduces the role of in-house counsel for participants who are new to the in-house world or who are planning a transition.

Speakers:

Alysse Janet, Counsel, Commercial Contracts, New York Times

Brian Yoon, Senior Staff Attorney, Energy and Environmental Law, ConEd

Eric Grossman, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, Morgan Stanley (Fordham Law J.D. '93)

To be introduced by Fordham Law Dean Joseph Landau

Explore the role of AI in legal practice, from contract analysis to compliance monitoring.

Moderator:

Alessandra Del Debbio, Vice President of Legal and Corporate Matters for Latin America, Microsoft

Speakers:

Yoram Elkaim, Head of Legal, International, Google (Fordham Law LL.M. '01)

Meganne Thaxton, Principal Corporate Counsel, RedVentures

Allen Waxman, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; former President and Chief Executive Officer, CPR; former General Counsel, Pfizer

Learn how to position yourself as a strategic partner by understanding key stakeholders, setting a vision, and managing legal budgets effectively. Develop leadership skills that enhance influence, inspire teams, and align legal strategy with business goals.

Moderator:

Karen Yen, General Counsel of Global Wealth Management, UBS

Speakers:

Diane Brayton, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, The New York Times

Adam T. Greene, Managing Director and Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs

William Min, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexis Risk Solutions (Fordham Law JD '90)

Explore strategies for building and leading a high-performing legal team. Learn how to foster collaboration, promote mentorship, and create an inclusive culture that drives results.

Moderator:

John Frantz, Partner, DLA Piper; former General Counsel, Verizon Business

Speakers:

Ramzi Aboutaam, Vice President & Chief Counsel, International Commercial Division & Global Trade, Pfizer Inc. (Fordham Law LL.M. '16)

Deneen L. Donnley, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Con Edison (Fordham Law J.D. '92)

Felipe Krause, General Counsel and Managing Director, EMEA, Corporate Legal, JPMorganChase, (Fordham Law LL.M. '17)

Donna Miller, Former Global General Counsel, Olympus Corporation 

Master the art of balancing legal priorities with business needs. Understand legal department structures, stakeholder dynamics, and data-driven decision-making to enhance efficiency and adaptability.

Moderator: 

Allen Waxman, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; former President and Chief Executive Officer, CPR; former General Counsel, Pfizer

Speakers: 

Jodi Ganz, General Counsel and Chief Operations Officer, Belfer Management (Fordham Law J.D., '98)

Elisa Garcia, Former Chief Legal Officer, Macy’s; Office Depot; Dominoes

Bitten Thorgaard Sorensen, Head of Competition Law and Policy, AP Moller-Maersk

Discover how to effectively engage and oversee external counsel, from selecting the right firms to managing costs and ensuring alignment with business strategy.

Moderator:

John Burke, Global Head of Outside Counsel Management, UBS AG

Speakers:

Maria J. Ayerbe, VP Deputy General Counsel, Americas, The Estée Lauder Companies

Joshua Peck, Vice President, Partner, and General Counsel, Sixth Street (Fordham Law, J.D. '07)

Gain insight into corporate governance, board advisement, and ESG compliance. Learn how to integrate sustainability, ethical practices, and regulatory adherence into corporate decision-making.

Moderator:

Nicole Karhlebach

Speakers:

Anna Newsom, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Providence

Gabriella Porcelli, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Corporate Governance, Iveco Group NV

Strengthen your deal-making skills by mastering due diligence, contract negotiation, and risk assessment. Learn best practices for closing transactions efficiently while mitigating legal exposure.

Moderator: 

Augusto C. Lima, Deputy General Counsel, Molina Healthcare, Inc.

Speakers:

Alma Rosa Montañez, General Counsel, S&P Global Market Intelligence and S&P Global Enterprise Data Organization, S&P Global

Nils Vernooij, Associate General Counsel & Global Legal Head — M&A and Ventures, Wipro

Navigate the intersection of law, policy, and corporate advocacy. Learn how to assess regulatory impact, collaborate with government affairs teams, and align corporate policy with legal compliance.

Moderator: 

Fabiana Leschziner, Chief Governance and Compliance Officer, Embracer

Speakers:

Fabio Bertoni, General Counsel, The New Yorker

Caitlin Kennel, Vice President, The Cohen Group

Francesco Planchenstainer, Global Head of Food Law, Nestle (Fordham Law LL.M., '23)

Understand the in-house counsel’s role in litigation management, from risk assessment and discovery to media relations and settlement negotiations. Learn how to optimize external counsel relationships and control costs.

Moderator:

John Frantz, Partner, DLA Piper; former General Counsel, Verizon Business

Speakers:

Andy Lee, Chief Legal Officer & Executive Vice President, New York Jets (Fordham Law J.D., '97)

Patrick Shilling, General Counsel Americas, UBS (Fordham Law J.D., '02)

Stay ahead of evolving data privacy and cybersecurity threats. Learn how to build compliance programs, respond to breaches, and integrate security measures into corporate strategy.

Moderator: 

Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences 

Speakers:

Paolo Amoroso, Managing Director, Head of Legal, Intesa Sanpaolo

Lily Belhadia, Head of Data Privacy, Americas, Kering (Fordham Law LLM, '16)

Renuka Drummond, General Counsel, International Data Corporation (IDC) (Fordham Law JD, '05)

Sabeena Ahmed Liconte, Head of Legal and Chief Compliance Officer, Americas, ICBC Standard Bank Group (Fordham Law Visiting J.D., '06)

Master the fundamentals of legal risk mitigation, crisis response, and internal investigations. Learn how to proactively address compliance challenges and navigate global regulations.

Moderator: 

Donna Miller, Former Global General Counsel, Olympus Corporation

Speakers:

Tamsin Fast, Chief Compliance Officer, Aramark

Palmina Fava, Chief Integrity Officer & Global Head of Litigation, The Magnum Ice Cream Company; General Counsel, Ben & Jerry’s (Fordham Law J.D., '97)

Luis Alberto Perez Gonzalez, Director, LATAM Counsel, Ethics & Compliance Correspondent at Christian Dior Couture (LVMH) (Fordham Law LL.M., '21)

Caroline West, Non-Executive Board Member, Advanced Bionics; Former Chief Compliance Officer, Olympus Corporation

Hear directly from corporate directors on how in-house counsel can add value. Learn how to communicate effectively with the board, manage shareholder expectations, and provide strategic legal guidance.

Moderator: 

Barbara Levi, Group General Counsel, Member of Group Executive Board, UBS (Fordham Law LL.M., '01)

Speakers:

Nacho Abia Buenache, Chief Executive Officer, Grifols

Alejandro Cantú Jiménez, General Counsel, América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. 

Anne T. Madden, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Transformation & Senior Advisor, Honeywell

Date and session info TBA.