Last summer, the Section of Labor and Employment Council formed an In-House Counsel Committee to investigate how the Labor and Employment Section could enhance its in-house counsel membership. In-house counsel is the fastest growing segment of lawyers. To develop its recommendation, the Committee, aided by ABA staff, administered an extensive survey which was sent to 1100 ABA and non-ABA in-house counsel. Responses were received from 283, including 24 in-house union counsel.

Results from the survey indicated that 82% of respondents wanted in-house counsel to be elevated to Section Committee co-chair status and 64% wanted a special in-house counsel committee, similar to the ABA litigation section. Half the respondents were involved in other in-house counsel groups, primarily Association of Corporate Counsel. About half had attended ABA and CLE programs. Respondents also indicated that meeting locations in urban settings and resorts close to their own business locations would be supported for attendance. There was no support for meetings outside the United States. Written comments from 102 of the respondents requested:

• More economic CLE’s
• More economic meeting locations
• Less focus on litigation
• In-house networking opportunities
• In-house solution based topics
• Better marketing to in-house counsel
• Best practice sharing among in-house counsel

At the Fall Counsel meeting, the Committee presented its recommendations:

1. Elevate in-house counsel to co-chair level for LEL committees
2. Solution based programs at LEL meetings
3. Hold quarterly CLE conference call geared toward in-house counsel issues
4. Consider optics of locations chosen for LEL meetings
5. Consider earmarking slots on LEL Council for in-house counsel

Since the Committee report, the Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee has implemented an In-House Counsel Program Co-chair and held an In-House Counsel Symposium at its Midwinter Meeting attended by 20 in-house counsel. In addition, several standing committees, such as Marketing, have added in-house counsel members. The new CLE Fall meeting has been designed to include two tracks specifically designed for in-house counsel needs; the In-House Counsel track and the Counseling track. The meeting location Philadelphia, an urban setting, is consistent with in-house counsel needs.