PALM BEACH GARDENS – This year's Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Legal Conference is set to be held in Palm Beach Gardens on Monday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 5.
The PGA National Resort and Spa will provide the backdrop for the conference, offering attendees a resort destination as well as the top golf courses in the world – all within a learning environment.
“We chose this location because, in addition to great meeting facilities, it offers something for everyone,” Steven Leslie, Director and Counsel of Legal Affairs for GMA, told the Florida Record.
Steven Leslie, Director and Counsel of Legal Affairs for GMA.
The GMA Legal conference, which is dedicated to legal professionals in the food, beverage and consumer products industry, provides top networking opportunities with legal professionals from around the country to discuss the real-world issues surrounding the food and beverage industry. Key themes for the event include brand protection during litigation and government regulatory compliance.
“Our agenda is driven by in-house counsel at (consumer packaged goods) (CPG) companies, putting us in a unique position to truly understand the top legal issues industry attorneys are actually dealing with,” Leslie said. “And we don’t just cover the biggest trends and emerging threats in the industry, but also look at what impact these challenges could have on your brand and public reputation.
Legal professionals attending the event will be able to take advantage of a chance to learn from peers and leading law firms about every aspect the food and beverage law. This year’s event will also feature 20-minute expert sessions that will help get attendees up-to-speed on real-time uses that are affecting their clients as well as a mock trial.
“And beyond just the topics on the agenda, attendees have the chance to discuss and share their experiences with other industry attorneys about the most pressing legal issues we are facing,” Leslie said.
With participants from all areas of food and beverage law, the GMA Legal Conference will offer attendees an inside glimpse into in-house as well as outside counsel, offering a full perspective of the legal industry.
“When attending conferences, in-house counsel wants to network and learn, and not just be seen as a new business prospect,” Leslie said. “At the same time, outside counsel seeks to make meaningful connections with in-house counsel. Our nearly one-to-one ratio keeps the event balanced and productive for all attendees.”
Speakers at the event will encompass legal professionals from top food and beverage companies such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Hormel, Mondelez, Bush Bros., Ferrero and The Stoli Group.
Leading litigation and regulatory firms will also be present at the conference, including Arnold & Porter, Hogan Lovells, Mayer Brown, Morrison & Foerster, Michael Best & Friedrich, Perkins Coie, Shook Hardy & Bacon, Sidley Austin, Venable, and Weisbrod Matteis & Copley.
“The new and exciting ways we will engage our audience, along with our traditional high-quality content, makes the 2019 conference a must-attend event for CPG industry attorneys,” Leslie said.