I recently attended the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) South Florida Chapter’s 15th Annual CLE Conference at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The event brought together in-house counsel, industry leaders, and legal innovators for a full day of discussion, insight, and connection.
I was proud to represent TCDI as a Silver Sponsor alongside my colleagues, Andy Cosgrove and Michael Gibeault. This year’s program, “Anchors Away: Charting the Course for In-House Counsel,” carried a nautical theme that perfectly captured the spirit of navigating today’s legal challenges.
The morning began with sessions focused on some of the most urgent and transformative forces shaping in-house legal work. I joined other attendees in exploring strategies for successfully integrating artificial intelligence into legal operations, reviewing best practices for workplace investigations, and considering the implications of Florida’s evolving employment laws.
Charting the Course
One of the highlights of my day was TCDI’s own session, “Sailing Through In-House eDiscovery 101,” moderated by Andy Cosgrove, our Chief Strategy Officer. He was joined by Jaime Raich of GE Aerospace, Anaeli Petisco-Rojas of TelevisaUnivision, Naim Surgeon of Corning Inc., and Betsy McCoy of The Related Group.
Together, they shared insights on how even modest in-sourcing of eDiscovery can lead to meaningful cost savings and efficiency gains. The panel offered practical advice on where to start when building in-house capabilities, how to balance internal teams with trusted external partners, ways to leverage existing technology (including emerging generative AI tools), and different budgeting approaches to make eDiscovery management more sustainable.
Overcoming Afternoon Storms
Over lunch, I attended “Steer Clear of Unethical Storms,” a program that explored the ethical challenges created by the rapid adoption of new technologies, especially AI. The conversation was an important reminder of the need for governance, foresight, and responsibility when integrating innovative tools into legal practice.
This session reminded me of the importance of our own Tech Lab at TCDI, which was created two years ago to evaluate and validate emerging technologies before they are implemented in client workflows. The conversation reinforced the importance of taking time to test, measure, and confirm that new tools are defensible and practical before they are put into use.
The afternoon was packed with sessions designed to equip attendees with practical guidance for the road (or seas) ahead. Topics ranged from strategies for avoiding pitfalls in contract litigation across key jurisdictions, to steering clear of wage and hour violations under the FLSA, to guidance on navigating antitrust law as in-house counsel.
Other sessions dove into protecting attorney-client privilege in dynamic business environments, managing risk and cost in class action defense, and preparing for unpredictable crises. The conference wrapped up with a session focused on responsible AI use, emphasizing the importance of strong governance to ensure adoption remains both ethical and effective.
Calm Waters Ahead
Beyond the sessions themselves, the conference served as a vibrant gathering for South Florida’s corporate legal community. The nautical theme brought a fun way to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new peers, and exchange ideas that will shape how we approach legal challenges in the years to come. TCDI is proud to support the ACC South Florida conference each year, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the professional growth, collaboration, and innovation it inspires
Connie Smith
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Connie has enjoyed a lifelong career in the legal and technology industries. Connie is a graduate of The University of North Carolina School of Law and The University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler School of Business. Her experience as an attorney in private practice and in-house counsel provides a unique and valued perspective when evaluating the individual needs of each client and project. Learn more about Connie.
