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FDCC MEETINGS / LOOKING BACK
Corporate Counsel Symposium
We Were All in the Flow in Chicago
by Nicole J. Benjamin, Chelsey Golightly and Timothy Moore, CCS 2025 Co-Chairs
The FDCC’s Corporate Counsel
Symposium, held at Chicago’s
InterContinental Magnificent Mile
on September 14-16, 2025, brought
together in-house and defense
counsel for substantive, forward-
looking conversations on the
profession’s most pressing issues.
By focusing on not just legal
innovation but also practical,
actionable business strategies,
the 2025 Corporate Counsel
Symposium left attendees “in the
flow” and ready for the future of
defense practice, whether as in-
house or outside counsel.
Our three-day program kicked
off with an engaging discussion
titled: Charting the Course: How
General Counsel Are Steering
Business Beyond Legal, where a
distinguished panel of in-house
attorneys shared the strategies they
employ and skills they have learned
in their expanded roles as corporate
strategists.
The program also addressed real
world challenges facing today’s
legal teams, from making the
business case for AI in legal
departments to navigating shifting
regulatory landscapes and
managing environmental risk.
Panels explored insurance
coverage, the pros and cons of
alternative dispute resolution,
and best practices for protecting
trade secrets under the Defend
Trade Secrets Act. Panelists
Nicole J. Benjamin Chelsey Golightly Timothy Moore
delved into the changing political
climate, strategies for managing
employment risks in an era of
uncertainty and interacting with
government agencies in turbulent
times. Other programs offered
tangible takeaways, including
practical advice for getting it done
whether you’re an army of one or
one hundred.
Throughout the program, signature
FedTalks, such as “The Sands of
Time—Keys to a Happy Fulfilling
Life,” presented by FDCC Past-
President and former General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary
for Boston Scientific, Timothy
Pratt, paired personal wisdom with
professional strategy, leaving a
lasting impact on attendees.
In the evening, participants
gathered for dine-arounds at some
of the city’s premier restaurants,
forging connections and sharing
fellowship—hallmarks of the FDCC
experience.
The symposium’s intimate setting
fostered meaningful connections
and practical exchanges among
attendees, thanks to a diverse roster
of general counsel and defense
counsel who shared their insights
and experiences.
None of this would have been
possible without the hard work of
the members of the CCS Planning
Committee, many of whom
helped shepherd and moderate
our programs. They include: Beth
Bauer, April Berman, Madison Dini,
Kat Frazier, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick,
Aaron Gentry, Chad Hatmaker,
Shelly Masters, Jennifer Mauer
Lee, William Vita, and Alonzo
Washington.
We are grateful to the CCS Planning
Committee, our sponsors, and all
who attended this year’s Corporate
Counsel Symposium. We look
forward to seeing you again next
year when the FDCC’s Corporate
Counsel Symposium will be
returning to New Orleans and the
Windsor Court Hotel, September
27-29, 2026!
Nicole J. Benjamin is an FDCC Defense
Counsel member and a Shareholder with
Adler Pollock & Sheehan, PC in Providence,
RI. Chelsey Golightly is an FDCC Defense
Counsel member and a Partner with Jones
Skelton & Hochuli, PC in Phoenix, AZ.
Timothy Moore is an FDCC Corporate
Counsel member and Vice President, Head
of Legal & Compliance and Secretary with
Corium in Miami, FL.
28 February 2026 | Federation Flyer www.thefederation.org