President's Report

I am honored to serve as President of the ACC Houston Chapter during what is already shaping up to be a landmark year for our organization. Under my leadership, and thanks to the dedication and vision of our outstanding Board, we’ve had a strong start to the year—rolling out impactful programs and strengthening our presence across Houston’s legal and business communities. Together, we are pushing the boundaries of what it means to support, educate, and connect in-house counsel across our vibrant city.

Innovation and Impact

This year, we are proud to launch several new and innovative initiatives that reflect our commitment to professional growth, leadership development, and community engagement.

Our four-part Law & Leadership Series is a dynamic addition to our programming, designed to equip our members with critical insights at the intersection of legal expertise and leadership. Through curated sessions, we’re delivering tools to help you thrive not only as legal advisors, but as strategic business partners.

We’ve also launched the ACC Houston Speakers Bureau, a platform that celebrates and elevates the voices within our own community. By connecting our members with opportunities to speak on panels, at conferences, and in media, we’re amplifying the depth of talent in our chapter.

And for those who enjoy a fresh spin on learning, our CLE with a Twist series is proving to be a hit—offering engaging, interactive sessions that blend legal education with creative formats and unique venues.

Recognizing the evolving landscape of legal practice, we have also formed a new AI & Business Techologies Practice Group. This group will serve as a collaborative hub for in-house counsel navigating the rapidly changing AI environment—providing resources, discussion forums, and thought leadership around legal, ethical, and operational implications of AI in the workplace. 

Celebrating Our Growing Influence

This year marks a historic milestone for ACC Houston. We proudly hosted Veta T. Richardson, President & CEO of ACC Global, in Houston—her visit underscoring our chapter’s growing influence. Her inspirational remarks at our Annual Scholarship Dinner set the tone for a powerful evening in which we awarded $60,000 in scholarships to twelve exceptional students ($5,000 each) from South Texas College of Law Houston, the University of Houston Law Center, and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. We are deeply grateful to our members and sponsors who made this night possible.

Stronger Together

We’ve forged exciting new partnerships and are thrilled to welcome several new sponsors to the ACC Houston family. Their support is vital in helping us expand our programming, increase our community impact, and deliver greater value to our members. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected legal community in Houston.

As we continue through the year, I encourage each of you to get involved—attend an event, join a committee, speak up through the Speakers Bureau, or mentor a scholarship recipient. This chapter is your professional home, and its success is driven by your engagement and ideas.

Thank you for your dedication, your leadership, and your commitment to excellence.

With gratitude,

Lauren Haller 
President, ACC Houston Chapter

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Membership Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete the 
ACC Houston 2025 Annual Member Survey. 
 
Each year our board uses the responses to the survey to generate ideas and to continuously improve our programming for our membership. Please let us know your thoughts! 

All of those who submit a response to the survey will be entered into a drawing for prizes to include: a FREE ticket to the Spa during the Annual Golf/Spa Event, a FREE Annual Season Pass to our Chapter Meetings at Maggiano’s or a $50 Amazon Gift Card (2 will be given out).

The deadline to submit your survey is May 16, 2025. 
Questions can be sent to Elena Baer at [email protected] 

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Awards and Recognitions

ACC Houston Wins
2024 Gold Chapter of Distinction Award

We’re proud to share that ACC Houston has once again been named a Gold Chapter of Distinction for 2024!

This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our incredible board, volunteers, sponsors and community. Thank you for your leadership, your commitment to excellence, and for creating a strong, inclusive network of in-house counsel.

Together, we’ve built something special — and we’re just getting started.

2025 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards

To register to attend, please use this LINK.

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New Sponsors...New Events

The newly created event/sponsorship opportunity called "CLE with a Twist" was kicked off by Thomson Reuters in April!  New sponsor, Nelson Mullins, says that this sponsorship is a unique opportunity to connect with in-house counsel and gain valuable insights into the key issues impacting the Texas legal community. As a new law firm in the Houston market, building these relationships is essential for understanding current trends and challenges that in-house counsel face. Our goal for this event is to provide a comfortable, collaborative, and engaging environment where ACC members can connect, communicate, and gain useful insights. We aim to make the event both informative and relevant to the needs of the membership, and we look forward to potentially working together in the future on issues that matter most. 

The Nelson Mullins event will take place in September of this year.  Watch your upcoming events emails for more information in the coming months.

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Practice Groups

AI and Business Technologies Practice Group

The AI & Business Technologies Practice Group will host CLE that discusses legal and regulatory matters related to the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence and advanced digital technologies across business. Our sponsor will discuss innovation, managing risk, ensuring compliance, and support responsible AI practices. The practice group will focus on global regulatory trends and helps frame company policies and standards to align with legal and ethical expectations.

Sponsored by: Baker Botts

Data Privacy & Security Practice Group

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Houston Chapter is excited to announce the relaunch of the Data Privacy & Security Practice Group.  In addition to building meaningful connections with peers and subject matter experts, this practice group will provide in-house counsel with CLE programs and other content on the evolving landscape as well as the latest legal and regulatory developments related to data privacy, cybersecurity, and eCommerce presented by Chamberlain Hrdlicka attorneys and industry specialists.  This practice group provides an essential resource for legal professionals managing these critical areas in a rapidly evolving business environment.

Sponsored by: Chamberlain Hrdlicka

Energy Practice Group

The mission of the Energy Practice Group is to provide members with  opportunities to share information on the legal issues and documentation associated with various transactions commonly associated in the Energy sector. While the practice group is not new, the sponsoring firm certainly is.  Make sure to attend the events this year to get to know the folks at Blank Rome!

Sponsored by: Blank Rome

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Message from the ACC Houston Board of Directors Executive Team

ACC Houston Volunteer Interest Form

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Scholarship Recipients

Join us in congratulating our 2025 Scholarship Recipients!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LIST OF RECIPIENTS 

Special Thank You to our Scholarship Champion Sponsor

K&L Gates

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Calendar of Events

Save The Date!!

Annual Symposium
August 22, 2025
Houston Junior League

26th Annual Ethics Seminar and Golf/Spa Event
September 16, 2025
Ethics Seminar at the Houston Junior League
Golf at Wildcat Golf Club
Spa at Trellis Spa at The Houstonian Hotel

Annual Holiday Party
December 18, 2025
River Oaks Country Club

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