Litigation partner Raymond M. Brown moderated the panel “International Human Rights & Business Law: What In-House Legal Departments Can’t Afford Not to Know” at this year’s New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association (NJCCA) All Day Conference, which took place on September 20th at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany, NJ. The panel also featured Daniel Flynn, Counsel in our Environmental Department, and Lora Fong, General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Diversity, Inc.

Mr. Brown, Mr. Flynn and Ms. Fong provided an overview of important historic developments at the intersection of human rights and business concerns, and then turned their focus on recent and high profile events in the news within this area. They strongly stressed the need for in-house counsel and the corporations they represent to stay ahead of the curve in this emerging area of the law, setting forth a number of specific requirements and a strategic review of compliance obligations and supply chain management issues. The speakers also discussed both the reputational risks and potential “bottom line” impacts faced by corporations whose operational practices become entangled in human rights violations, both domestically and on the international stage.

Mr. Brown is chair of the firm’s Corporate & International Human Rights Compliance and White Collar Defense Practice Groups. He is a high profile criminal defense attorney and a leading figure in the developing area of law related to the regulation and enforcement of business requirements for human rights compliance. He counsels foreign and domestic multinationals on a broad range of corporate risk management, governance, and transactional issues, and also defends clients in state and federal courts and before administrative tribunals.

Mr. Flynn is a member of the firm’s Environmental Department and Corporate & International Human Rights Compliance Practice Group. He counsels clients on corporate compliance related matters, including the development and implementation of effective compliance and ethics programs. His experience in this area includes drafting corporate compliance-related policies, training corporate employees on compliance-related requirements, investigation of corporate non-compliance allegations and due diligence reviews of third parties to assure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.