Monday 28 April
8.15am Registration
9.10am Opening remarks
Speaker
Georgina Stanley, editorial director, Legal 500
9.20am Mental Toughness, the one thing that changes everything
People are under more pressure than ever before, creating a feeling of
overwhelm. Penny reveals how you can manage the pressure by developing a sense of control of your life and your emotions.
The heavy work loads people are managing are creating stress. Penny shows how you can manage stress by developing confidence in your ability to get the job done.
The insane speed of change is making people feel out of control. Penny talks about how you can manage your emotions when things are moving fast.
Deadlines are so tight that people are losing focus and energy. Penny explains how you can maintain enthusiasm and commitment when you’re up against it.
People are required to deliver more, but with less resources. Penny shows
how you can view these challenges as exciting opportunities, rather than threats.
Penny defied the odds by achieving her childhood ambition of becoming a
Champion Rally Driver. She surpassed that dream by becoming the first woman to compete in a World Rally Car for Ford in the prestigious World Rally Championship. Remarkably, she remains the only woman to accomplish this.
Her journey is even more remarkable given her tumultuous past as a teenage runaway, enduring 3 years of homelessness in London.
Penny attributes her success to her Mental Toughness.
Speaker
Penny Mallory, rally driver, TV presenter, performance coach
10.10am
Cyber war room strategy: tackling complex cyber threats and preparing for breaches
Join Trowers & Hamlins for a panel discussion on Cyber Attacks. The session will consider emerging threats, the role and challenges for GCs, and practical tips for dealing with an attack. Panellists will explore the dynamic and increasingly complex realm of cyber threats focussing on the pivotal role that GCs play in managing these risks. As cyber-attacks grow more sophisticated, GCs must balance implementing effective cybersecurity measures with preparing for potential breaches. The panel will highlight the need for comprehensive incident response plans, addressing legal and regulatory aspects to minimise impact. The discussion aims to equip GCs with knowledge to enhance cybersecurity awareness within their organisations.
Speakers
Jamie De Souza, partner, Trowers & Hamlins
Charlotte Clayson, partner, Trowers & Hamlins
Gary Kinsley, director, CyberQ Group
Chris O’Connell, head of EMEA, commercial legal, Zscaler
10.55am Coffee Break
11.20am Roundtable Breakout Sessions
Navigating Compliance, AI Regulation and Risk Management in 2025
From tariffs to AI regulations, today’s compliance landscape poses significant challenges for businesses. Join Harry Borovick, General Counsel and AI Governance Officer at leading AI company Luminance, for a discussion on how organisations can stay ahead of today’s complex regulatory environment, all whilst maintaining compliance and driving business growth. Expect to gain insights on:
How diverging approaches to AI regulation across the US, EU and UK will impact businesses, and how to ensure yours is set up for success
Effectively using AI for compliance, including ethical considerations and risk management
Speakers
Harry Borovick, general counsel and AI governance office, Luminance
Navigating the new employment law landscape – Proactive strategies for General Counsel
Major changes to the employment law landscape, spearheaded by the new government, are pushing people issues firmly onto the GC radar. Careful review of your organisation’s operational, risk management and legal processes will be needed to navigate the changes with confidence. With most GCs asking themselves the same question – what are our key risks? – this practical workshop will explore how to identify your organisation’s priorities, implement an effective action plan and collaborate effectively with your stakeholders and HR colleagues.
Speakers
Moderator: Danielle Ingham, employment & pensions partner, Trowers & Hamlins
Class Actions – why to be concerned and what to do about them?
One of the recurring items noted by GCs of most concern is the increasing risk of facing a class or group action. But what are they and who should be concerned about them? Discussion of the various categories of class / group actions and their rise in the UK, along with an explanation of what to look out for and who should be concerned about them (and what types). Learn about the very different strategies to consider when facing such claims (or having them in prospect) bearing in mind the significant differences from “usual” litigation.
Speakers
Oliver Middleton, local chair & partner, Latham & Watkins’ London Litigation & Trial Department
James Lloyd, partner, Latham & Watkins’ London Litigation & Trial Department
Andrea Monks, deputy office managing partner, Latham & Watkins’ London Litigation & Trial Department
Nell Perks, partner, Latham & Watkins’ London Litigation & Trial Department
Beyond the pay cheque: how can in-house legal stay competitive
With private practice pay reaching new heights, how can you nurture and retain your best talent while keeping a lid on costs? And how do you get the best out of your in-house team without the financial firepower of top law firms? This session will share advice and success stories.
Speakers
Sam Patel, general counsel, HANetf
Miles Gillhespy, assistant director, SSQ
Lisa Ardley-Price, managing legal counsel, Natwest
Moderator: Tom Cox, Legal Business
12.20pm Navigating sustainability and compliance: the GC role in a changing supply chain sustainability landscape
As corporate sustainability and supply chain due diligence become key focus areas for many businesses, general counsels must navigate the evolving legal landscapes both internationally and in the UK. This session will explore the challenges businesses face when embedding these requirements into their operations—ranging from supplier risk assessments, policies, procedures and training, to contractual clauses, supplier codes of conduct and audits. A key focus will be the impact on supplier contracts, highlighting issues such as information rights and the complexities of engaging smaller suppliers who may not have the capacity to meet large-scale compliance demands. As navigating the scale of global supply chains becomes more complex, we’ll discuss the importance of your business goals and strategy aligning with compliance procedures. We’ll debate the benefits of a risk-based approach compared to absolute compliance and consider the best fit for different organisations. Following our panel session, we’re hosting a roundtable discussion to explore these themes in more depth.
Speakers
Andrew Northage, regulatory partner, Walker Morris
James Crayton, commercial partner, Walker Morris
Steven Webb, Chair of Ahead Partnership and ESG consultant, Ahead Partnership
Shiv Sibal, chief legal officer and company secretary, Marshalls Plc
1.10pm Lunch
2.10pm Burnt out – how to tackle wellbeing in the legal team
What are General Counsel doing to tackle burnout in their legal teams and what should they be obliged to do? In this panel SSQ will explore how GCs are staying on top of their own staff-wellbeing. Find out how to manage your team effectively during times of stress.
Speakers
Laura Field (moderator), managing director, SSQ
Nicki Schroeder, group general counsel, Reach
Stephanie Lopes, chief legal officer, Volt
Nell Perks, financial services litigation and investigations partner, Latham & Watkins’ London Litigation & Trial Department
3.10pm Roundtable Breakout Sessions
Should GCs Care About Law Firm Burnout?
Private practice lawyers are under immense pressure—but do GCs have an obligation to ease the burden? This lively discussion will explore whether in-house teams should rethink deadlines and working dynamics to help support law firm well-being. Is it just good business, or is there a moral duty at play? Join us for a candid conversation on whether GCs have a responsibility to help balance demands for human excellence with humanity.
Speakers
Isobel Terry, director, SSQ
Laura Field, managing director, SSQ
Failure to prevent fraud – taking a practical approach to the new offence
On 1 September 2025, the “Failure to Prevent Fraud” offence of the UK Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) comes into force. This offence theoretically impacts every large business in the UK, and the UK government has issued guidance around what it considers “reasonable procedures” to prevent and detect fraud (and hence use as a defence in the event fraud does occur) look like. In this breakout session join experts from Grant Thornton to discuss the practical impact of the new legislation, what steps can be taken to get to “reasonable procedures” without major overhaul or disruption to the business and how to upskill the Board on this issue.
Speakers
EThomas Townson, partner, head of financial crime, Grant Thornton
Tristan Yelland, oartner, Grant Thornton
Emma Young, director, Grant Thornton
Navigating Sustainability and Compliance: A Practical Approach to Adapting to Change
Join Walker Morris for roundtable discussions on the challenges and opportunities of navigating sustainability and compliance in today’s evolving landscape. This session will discuss practical experience and insights from participants across various industries and regions. Breaking into smaller groups, we’ll dive into how different business scales and geographical footprints impact sustainability priorities, allowing for a diverse exchange of ideas and real-world solutions. Additionally, we’ll explore how shifts in politics and society more widely – including the Trump administration’s shift on ESG – may affect your strategy moving forward. Join us to share actionable insights that can shape your sustainability efforts into the future.
Speakers
Andrew Northage, regulatory partner, Walker Morris
James Crayton, commercial partner, Walker Morris
Steven Webb, ESG consultant, Ahead Partnership
Shiv Sibal, chief legal officer, Marshalls Plc
Beyond legal pro bono: how in-house lawyers can champion social responsibility using more than just their legal skills
More and more in-house teams are trying to make a difference by dedicating time to pro bono work. But if you and your team are looking to champion social responsibility, your involvement doesn’t have to be limited to legal pro bono. Join Fifth Day to find out about the professional pro bono and trustee opportunities that will let you help others while also showcasing your broader business experience and skillset. Learn how you can boost your chances of picking up an NED role post in-house while also helping others.
Speakers
Paul Dunn, advisory board member, Fifth Day
Steve Rowan, advisory board member, Fifth Day
4.00pm Coffee Break
4.25pm M&A in a Time of Uncertainty: How GCs Are Navigating Geopolitical Shocks and Driving Deals in a Fracturing World
Many industry observers had heralded 2025 as the year for a major rebound in M&A activity. In fact, rising geopolitical tensions, the imposition of tariffs and fears of potential trade wars have upended past certainties and present significant headwinds to dealmaking. Join Fried Frank for a panel discussion around the current issues, their impact on M&A markets, and how GCs are responding. This session aims to highlight both the difficulties facing market participants planning and executing M&A transactions in 2025 but also what sorts of activity and opportunities the rest of the year might bring. It will also examine GCs’ unique position at the vanguard of dealmaking within their organisations and how they are managing both business teams and external law firms to identify and manage risk for their organizations and their M&A pipelines.
Speakers
Ian Lopez, partner and head of European M&A, Fried Frank
Lida Khanverdi, head of legal UK, EG Group
Tariq Hussain, head of M&A, EMEA & APAC, Jefferies
Gideon French, group M&A legal counsel, ArcelorMittal
Harpreet Sagoo, group general counsel and company secretary, Ricardo plc
5.20pm Closing remarks
Speaker
Georgina Stanley, editorial director, Legal 500
6.30pm Drinks reception sponsored by Mishcon
7.30pm Gala Dinner
9.30pm Networking drinks at Sky Bar 9
Tuesday 29 April
8.30am Registration
9.05am Welcome remarks
Speaker
Georgina Stanley, editorial director, Legal 500
9.10am Turning Ambition into Achievement
There has never been a better time to challenge what we believe to be true. A question we need to ask ourselves all the time is. ‘Are we changing as fast as the world around us?” Leaders and companies can only create new opportunities by creating new perspectives. It won’t be what you know which is important. It will be more about how you think about what you know. Future success will not come from knowing more, but more from knowing differently.
Leading performance coach, Jamil Qureshi takes us through a practical understanding of how to cultivate mindsets for optimising talent. Using principles that have been shared with six people who utilised the ideas to become number one in the world in their sport, delegates will be taken through an insightful and entertaining look at how we can create positive change through obtaining different outlooks.
Speaker
Jamil Qureshi, performance coach, psychologist, author
10.00am Culture crisis – how to deal with internal issues effectively in the face of external scrutiny: regulators, press, police, litigation
This session will focus on how to navigate internal issues within your company in high-stakes scenarios. Panelists will share practical insights on managing reputational risk, ensuring legal and ethical compliance, and maintaining corporate resilience. Attendees will gain valuable strategies for handling complex internal matters while responding effectively to increasing external scrutiny in today’s pressurised business landscape.
Speaker
David Speakman, partner – investigations: employment, DAC Beachcroft
Angela Hayes, partner – commercial, technology & regulatory, DAC Beachcroft
Charlie Potter, co-head of global litigation and disputes, Brunswick
Meghan Foreman-Purves, head of legal, Europe, CIBC
10.40am Coffee Break
11.10am Beyond the Buzzword: Practical Lessons in Getting Value from AI
Struggling to cut through the AI noise? Join legal AI pioneer, Luminance, for an exploration of the real-life applications of AI within Legal and beyond. Against a backdrop of regulatory change and pressures on efficiency, hear practical lessons on how to implement and maximise value from Legal-Grade™ AI to drive business growth. This presentation will explore:
- Distinguishing AI Hype from Reality: How to cut through the noise and decide which technology to use, when and how.
- The ROI of AI for Legal and Beyond: Ensuring compliance, saving time, reducing cost, and redeploying staff to higher value tasks.
- Live Demonstration: From an AI-powered repository proving a single source of truth for all contracts, to augmented negotiation within MS word, see end-to-end contract automation in action.
Speakers
Jaeger Glucina, chief of staff, Luminance
11.55am Legal 500 uncovered: what clients really think of their law firms
GCs are under constant pressure to do more with less but what does that mean in terms of the service received from law firms. Every year the Legal 500 canvasses the opinions of hundreds of thousands of in-house lawyers about the service they receive from firms; here we discuss some of the key findings and what they mean in practice with GCs.
Speakers
Alex Ryan (moderator), data and US markets correspondent, Legal Business
Ben Wheway (panellist), data editor, Legal Business
Lisa Lischak, divisional general counsel, DCC Technology
Evelyn Bueno, global regulatory counsel, SumUp
Chris Ghazarian, COO and general counsel, DreamHost
12.35pm Lunch
1.35pm GCs on the Frontlines: Navigating Geopolitical Uncertainty and Regulatory Change
In a world of shifting geopolitics and rapidly evolving regulations, GCs must stay agile to protect their companies from emerging risks. This session unpacks the key regulatory changes coming next year, their industry impact, and how legal teams can proactively manage uncertainty. Gain insights to future-proof your strategy in an unpredictable global landscape.
Speakers
Steve Holt, partner, Grant Thornton
Simon White, deputy GC, IQVIA
Sharmin Takin, GC, UK Debt Management Office
2.15pm Managing relations with the Board
The relationship between General Counsel (GC) and the Board is pivotal for effective corporate governance. GCs must ensure their insights and legal expertise are not only heard but sought after in strategic discussions. Learn what the Board want and how GCs can make themselves heard, or indeed win a place on the Board.
Speakers
Lesley Wan, founder & CEO, The Eagle Club
Sinead Murray, GC, Ofgem
Cameron Purse (moderator), editor, Legal 500
Harriet Gallagher-Powell, general counsel (group corporate) and deputy group company secretary, Legal & General
2.55pm Diversity in the balance: Navigating the post-Trump landscape for in-house legal teams
The conversation around diversity is shifting, especially in the US, where legal and political changes are reshaping corporate DEI strategies. For in-house legal teams—particularly in transatlantic companies—this means navigating evolving expectations, compliance risks, and cultural differences. This panel will explore the impact of the post-Trump era on diversity initiatives, the legal challenges.
Speakers
Daniel Winterfeldt, managing director and general counsel EMEA & Asia, Jefferies
Dana Denis-Smith, founder, Obelisk Support
3.30pm Closing Remarks
Speaker
Georgina Stanley, editorial director, Legal 500