Brief Opening Remarks

Introduction: Lance Wilson, Partner-in-Charge – San Francisco, Tucker Ellis

Keynote Presentation and Lunch

Speaker: Former State Senator, and San Francisco Mayoral Candidate, Mark Leno

Discussion: Senator Leno will address his experience as a small business owner and his views on businesses operating in the Bay Area.

Break

Risk Management – Proactive Risk Management Steps to Protect Your Company

Presenters:

• Monica Williams Monroe, Partner, Tucker Ellis
• Tabitha Prestler, Director of Risk Finance & Insurance, Wilbur-Ellis Company

Discussion Details: Regulations, investor and lender requirements, and good business practices often require companies to undertake a review of risks that can lead to litigation, business disruptions, and increased costs of doing business. This session will first identify the potential reasons for conducting risk management reviews, followed by practical tips for how to conduct risk evaluations that can help protect your company in its real estate, general contract, and corporate governance obligations.

Employment – Avoiding Common Employment Risks, While Motivating Your Workforce

Presenters:

• Robert Cutbirth, Partner, Tucker Ellis
• Anna Chapova, Claims Counsel, Travelers

Discussion Details: California’s workplace laws have some of the most complex requirements in the country. This program will help identify key risk exposures (meal and rest breaks, overtime, job classification, disability management/return to work, FMLA/CFRA/pregnancy leaves, and discipline and termination standards), and provide tools to avoid those risks while continuing to support a positive work environment. 

Break

Data Privacy – Safeguarding Your, Your Employees’, and Your Customers’ Sensitive Data

Presenters:

• Michael Adelsheim, Counsel, Tucker Ellis
• Michael Poor, Vice President, Integro Insurance Brokers
• Adam Schrock, Managing Director, Risk Advisory Services, Grant Thornton

Discussion Details: Businesses must protect their proprietary business information, their confidential employee records, and their nonpublic client information. This session will identify the types of information that must be protected, the proper handling of electronic devices and physical files, and employee actions necessary to minimize risk exposures and potential violations of governing laws and regulations. The presenters will also highlight key issues for responding to data privacy breach situations, including steps every employer should be prepared to take should an actual or potential data breach occur.

Insurance – Addressing Insurance Needs, and Implementing Risk and Loss Transfers

Presenters:

• Marty Toth, Lead Underwriter, Aspen Insurance Group
• Ray Cox, Director, New York Insurance Practice, Grant Thornton

Discussion Details: This session will explore approaches in evaluating corporate risks, determining coverages that may make sense, and positioning your company to be marketable to insurers on the most favorable pricing terms. It will also identify contract terms and settings where special care should be taken in contract negotiations in an effort to transfer business risks to third parties, while avoiding acceptance of other parties’ obligations. This session will also provide practical help in contract negotiations and the determination of the type of coverage, limits, and terms that will make the most sense for your company.

Intellectual Property – Protecting IP Assets, and Safe and Appropriate Website Practices

Presenters:

• David Steele, Partner, Tucker Ellis
• Karl Kenna, Partner, Tucker Ellis

Discussion Details: This session will highlight the different/current areas where intellectual property asset protection – including copyrightable material, patentable “inventions,” and protectable trademarks that distinguish your company – can help maintain important competitive business interests, as well as “assets” that might be important in valuing your company. In addition to real-world steps that can and should be taken to safeguard these proprietary rights, this session will also identify issues that can impact your website in terms of legal compliance, sales and marketing considerations, best practice standards, and accessibility.

Legal Counsel – Best Practice Standards for Selecting and Managing Your Law Firms

Panelists:

• Lance Wilson, Partner, Tucker Ellis
• Kelly Nugent, Claims Counsel, Travelers
• John Orr, Managing Principal, Integro Insurance Brokers

Discussion Details: This session, presented as a panel discussion, is intended to identify those criteria and steps that should be considered when identifying potential legal counsel, ultimately selecting the right firm, and managing counsel to your best overall results. The panel will identify factors that enhance and harm the attorney-client relationship, best practices in negotiating legal service agreements and service levels, and how to work in a cooperative and cost-effective manner to meet your business, litigation, and reputational interests.

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