Corporate Counsel

Alteryx Taps Veteran Tech Lawyer Steve Holsten as Chief Legal Officer

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:13:44 EST

Holsten, who helped guide Workfront and Eloqua through acquisitions by Adobe and Oracle, joins the AI analytics company's executive team to lead its global legal function

New York's New ‘Synthetic Performer' Law Could Have Wide Reach, Lawyers Say

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:50:50 EST

The law covers advertisements that include a computer-created, reproduced or modified “digital asset meant to look like a human engaged in a performance.

Corporate Director Use of Public- or Consumer-Facing AI Latest Risk for Legal Departments

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:31:28 EST

A Corporate Board Member and Diligent survey found 30% of directors have used generative AI to summarize board books or meeting materials, "which are often among the most sensitive documents in a public company."

AI Grows Up: Legal Ops Shifting From Experimentation to Execution

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:35:13 EST

That shift is one of the clearest messages from CLOC's latest report.

Don't Feed the Goblins

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:34:45 EST

The people who shaped AI's personality weren't thinking about you. Their blind spots are now baked into your tools. Here's what to do about it.

When AI Is the Inventor, the Patent Problem Starts Before Filing

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:28:59 EST

In Thaler v. Vidal (2022), the Federal Circuit held that the term “inventor refers to a human being. More recently, the USPTO's November 2025 revised inventorship guidance reaffirmed that principle and clarified that the same legal standard applies regardless of whether AI is involved—the touchstone is still human conception. AI systems are treated as tools, not inventors.

Trial Skills: Chat Messages Sink Defense, Lead to $17.5M Verdict

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:57:20 EST

A Houston jury's unanimous verdict and a judge's final judgment delivered Yetter Coleman's client Advance Energy Partners $17.8 million after WeChat messages between an oilfield pipe supplier and a Chinese mill exposed a bait-and-switch scheme in which the supplier pocketed millions by secretly substituting a knockoff product for the premium casing it had contracted to deliver.

Five Below Taps Allbirds Veteran as Chief Legal Officer

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:48:47 EST

Christos Yatrakis, who most recently served as chief people and legal officer at the footwear brand, joins the Philadelphia-based discount retailer with more than two decades of experience at global public consumer companies.

Former NFL Attorney Saddles Up as New Legal Chief for Horseracing Anti-Doping Authority

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:14:44 EST

"Coming from the NFL, I understand what it means to protect the integrity of a sport that millions of fans hold dear—and I bring that same sense of duty to this new role," said Janelle Winston, the new legal chief of HIWU.

Intuit Names Company Veteran Tyler Cozzens as New General Counsel, Succeeding Kerry McLean

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:06:02 EST

Cozzens, a Stanford-trained attorney and two-decade Intuit veteran, will succeed McLean, who is retiring at the end of July after 20 years with the California-based maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks.

Heat Is On for Employers as Regulatory Climate Shifts for Workplace Temperature Safety

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:32:33 EST

Under President Donald Trump's administration, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing with development of rules for addressing hazards from extreme heat in the workplace, a project started during the administration of Joe Biden. The agency's current director, with a background in private industry, seems "largely unaffected by the broader administration priorities," one attorney said.

Legal Spend Hits Six-Year Low as GCs Take On More

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:02:59 EST

"The key shift for general counsel is to reframe the discussion around capacity and impact," said Andrew Teig of MLA, which jointly issued the report with the ACC.

EEOC Moves to End Collection of Demographic Data, But States May Fill the Void

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 19:51:27 EST

Even if the EEOC ends its demographic reporting requirements, employers could still be subject to similar state laws, lawyers say.

$235 Billion Wealth Manager Cresset Names Lucas Huizar General Counsel

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 19:41:35 EST

Huizar, a Stanford Law graduate with more than two decades of experience at high-growth fintech companies, will be based in Cresset's San Francisco office.

Cyberattacks Against Lawyers Are Growing More Sophisticated, Officials Warn

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:32:45 EST

Texas lawyers face increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks that exploit professional habits like hierarchy and time pressure, and attorneys are warned that failing to take reasonable cybersecurity precautions might violate their ethical duties.

Ventas General Counsel Departs to Blackstone

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:27:29 EST

Carey Roberts, who served as EVP and top lawyer at the $40 billion healthcare real estate investment trust, will join Blackstone as senior managing director and general counsel of its real estate business.

'DEI Fatigue' May Prompt Return to Core Governance Issues, Shareholder Proposals Suggest

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:17:51 EST

"Stockholder attention and filing capacity may have rotated to other areas such as AI governance, data privacy, supply chain labor, anti-harassment and political spending/misalignment," a Fenwick & West report stated.

'From Black Box to Real Transparency': Legal Teams Seek Better Ways to Measure Outside Counsel Spend

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:17:24 EST

Legal leaders have historically faced a difficult task when trying to quantify their contribution to the business, particularly because much of their value comes from preventing problems that never materialize.

New Lawsuit Against IBM Offers Glimpse at Future of AI Discrimination Claims

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:12:23 EST

Andrew Adams, a partner at DarrowEverett, said he expected to see more claims brought by applicants who received form rejections that appeared to originate with AI systems. That could be “enough to get in the door for at least an EEOC complaint, he said.

Dave & Buster's Taps Nexstar Veteran Rachel Morgan as Chief Legal Officer

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:06:07 EST

Morgan, who spent nearly 30 years in private practice, corporate America and media, succeeds Rudy Rodri guez Jr., who joined the entertainment chain less than 18 months ago.

Regulator Strikes Suggestion That Federally Insured Credit Unions Consult Counsel

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 18:29:35 EST

American Airlines Federal Credit Union CEO Gail Enda urged the National Credit Union Administration not to include a reference to consulting legal counsel when setting minimum retention periods, because, "if included, credit unions would take it as a requirement that legal counsel must be consulted."

McKesson Legal Chief Michele Lau Clears $5.5M in Fiscal 2026 Compensation

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 18:07:13 EST

As the Fortune 8 pharmaceutical distributor reports a 12% revenue surge, top lawyer Michele Lau ranks as the company's third-highest paid executive.

What Makes External Counsel Valuable in 2026? Insights From GCs

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:12:59 EST

Deciding when to engage external counsel is becoming more critical as legal budgets tighten and AI reshapes in-house work. Three GCs share how they make the call and ensure advisers deliver value.

CLM Provider Agiloft Appoints Microsoft Vet Jason Barnwell Chief Product Officer

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:59:59 EST

Barnwell, currently the company's chief legal officer, aims to apply in-house experience to Agiloft's product development as the company moves further into contract intelligence.

SEC Climate Disclosure Rules May Be History, But Some Risk Remains

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:26:59 EST

The federal government has proposed rescinding a set of rules that would have required public companies to disclose their climate-related risks, but lawyers warn that companies are still subject to state climate disclosure rules.

Lawsuit Over Camera Company Lorex's China Ties Points to New Kinds of Risk

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:22:45 EST

The lawsuit reflects a growing concern about surveillance and security, as companies increasingly rely on third-party cloud services.

Defense Contractor DCS Taps Rick Castiglia as Chief Legal Officer

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:08:28 EST

The defense engineering firm brings on a 21-year industry veteran Rick Castiglia to lead its legal, ethics and corporate governance functions amid ongoing federal growth.

Counsel's Concerns of AI-Related Legal Exposure Spike in Healthcare Industry, Survey Finds

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:37 EST

Norton Rose Fulbright's survey found 53% of healthcare industry counsel said AI exposure across clinical and operational functions has increased at the federal level.

CFTC Proposal Keeps Sports Prediction Markets Alive, Targets Some Insider-Prone Trades

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:55:04 EST

A central regulatory question surrounding prediction markets is the Commodity Exchange Act's Special Rule, which says that certain event contracts may be contrary to the public interest if they involve things like assassination, terrorism, war or gaming.

Redefining the In-House Role in the AI Era: A Conversation with Anthropic's Aparna Sridhar

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:17:21 EST

Aparna offers a candid look at what it means to be an in-house lawyer at the center of today's fastest-moving industry, how legal teams are adapting to advances in AI, Anthropic's approach to regulatory engagement, and how outside counsel must evolve to advise clients in the modern era.

Longtime NFL VP of Legal Affairs Moves to UnitedHealth Group

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:46:49 EST

The league's senior VP of legal affairs heads to the healthcare titan as deputy general counsel for litigation strategy following 14 years helming the legal department at the richest sports league in the world.

Simmons & Simmons Names Simpson Thacher Executive Emma Williams as General Counsel

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:24:00 EST

Williams succeeds retiring GC Ian Hammond as the U.K.-headquartered firm pushes forward with a new five-year, AI-driven business strategy.

J&J Snack Foods Top Lawyer Resigns as Legal Chief Exits Keep Piling Up

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:39:52 EST

The trend of legal chief exits and turnover has drawn increasing attention from boards and executive recruiters.

Whistleblower Sues xAI, SpaceX Ahead of Historic IPO Debut

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:59:49 EST

A former engineer for xAI, the artificial intelligence firm founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against xAI and Musk's spaceflight company, SpaceX, just days ahead of an initial public offering that is poised to be the biggest on record.