Join the NAM Legal Center this November for the fourth annual Manufacturing Legal Summit – the preeminent conference for manufacturing lawyers addressing the latest pressing challenges across the legal and regulatory landscape.
Featured 2025 Topics
Engage and learn through CLE-accredited educational content and unique opportunities to network with manufacturing peers.
- Tariffs, Trade, and Trump: Managing Supply Chain and Tariff Risks During an International Trade Tornado
- Navigating a Cross-Border M&A Transaction in the Manufacturing Sector
- A Pendulum in Full Shift: Labor and Employment Under the 2nd Trump Administration
- Developing a Company Strategy: How to Manage Contaminant Risks
- Product Liability from Emerging Technologies
- FTC & DOJ: Continuity and Change in Antitrust in 2025
- The Emerging Threat of Microplastics Litigation
- The Ethics of AI in Legal Practice
What to Expect at the Manufacturing Legal Summit: Knowledge. Insights. Relationships.
- Earn CLE credits with educational content focused on the ever-changing landscape for manufacturing lawyers.
- Gain insights from the best and brightest minds from top law firms alongside seasoned in-house counsel sharing practical advice and strategies.
- Hear from speakers offering unique perspectives on law and policy in the Nation’s capital.
- Enjoy unparalleled networking opportunities with colleagues across the industry.
This was my first NAM Legal Summit and I could not be more pleased with the topics presented, as well as the networking opportunities. The content was relevant and current. I even had a few “ah ha” moments! This event is worth the time and I will be attending for years to come
– Erin Tannock, Associate Counsel, Compliance, Viega LLC
This was my first NAM Legal Summit and I could not be more pleased with the topics presented, as well as the networking Kudos to the NAM team for putting on such a fantastic event. Thanks to you, I now have a problem on my hands because so many of my lawyers are disappointed that they did not get to attend. It is already on our calendar for next year.
– Jason Brown, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, GE Appliances
Developing Agenda – timing may shift as details are finalized.
Wednesday, November 12
Hosted at the NAM, 733 10th Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC
5:00 p.m. – Registration Opens
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Welcome Reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks
Thursday, November 13
Marriott Metro Center, 755 12th Street NW, Washington, DC
7:15 a.m. – Registration Opens
8:00 a.m. – Breakfast Available
8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Welcome and NAM Litigation Update
Erica Klenicki, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Litigation
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – CLE Session 1:Tariffs, Trade, and Trump: Managing Supply Chain and Tariff Risks During an International Trade Tornado
This session will analyze the unprecedented surge in tariff uncertainty and risks stemming from recent changes in global tariffs and the importing environment. Attendees will gain insights into the significant impact of the many new tariffs, which are vastly changing how multinational companies and importers handle their international supply chains and source goods from abroad, as well as a discussion on coping mechanisms on dealing with the tariff implications.
Foley & Lardner: Kate Wegrzyn, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP (moderator); Greg Husisian, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP (panelist); Erin Tannock, Compliance Counsel, Viega (panelist).
10:05 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. – CLE Session 2: Navigating a Cross-Border M&A Transaction in the Manufacturing Sector – Addressing the Key Legal Issues and Challenges
In this interactive session, attendees will be invited to discuss a realistic case study outlining a cross-border M&A transaction in the manufacturing sector. We will consider some of the key legal issues for manufacturing companies that typically arise during such a transaction and how to avoid some of the main pitfalls including: (1) issues to consider when hiring outside counsel, (2) actions to take when preparing a company for sale, (3) how to navigate and manage cross border transactions, and (time permitting) (4) pitfalls to avoid in the sale process.
Meritas Firms: Christian Henrich, Partner, Woods Oviatt Gilman; Azucena Marín, Partner, Cuesta Campos.
11:05 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Fireside chat with Sarah Isgur, Editor of SCOTUSblog, Legal Analyst at ABC News, Co-host of the “Advisory Opinions” Podcast
With experience on three presidential campaigns and all three branches of the federal government, Sarah offers a unique perspective on the news of the day and an unparalleled knowledge of how decisions in Washington really get made.
Linda Kelly, Chief Legal Officer, NAM; Sarah Isgur, Editor of SCOTUSblog, Legal Analyst at ABC News, Co-host of the “Advisory Opinions” Podcast.
12:15 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. – Networking Lunch
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – CLE Session 3: A Pendulum in Full Shift: Labor and Employment Under the 2nd Trump Administration
For three years, this session has focused on the practical ramifications of historically high levels of activity at the National Labor Relations Board. But with new leadership in Washington, DC comes, as always, a pendulum swing that impacts all aspects of labor and employment. Not just that of the NLRB. This session will explore major developments to policy, regulation, and legislation, and how these changes influence the employer-employee relationship for manufacturers.Attendees will come away with a better sense of how developments around the proliferation of AI – and its interplay with both DEI initiatives and EEOC mandates, immigration, wage & hour law, and workplace safety are reshaping operational realities for employers in the manufacturing industry.
Fisher Phillips: Colin Calvert, Partner; Sheila Abron, Partner.
2:50 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. – CLE Session 4: Developing a Company Strategy: How to Manage Contaminant Risks
Navigating the legal complexities of emerging contaminants requires more than just compliance—it demands a broad, integrated strategy. This session explores how companies can safeguard themselves against litigation risks, supply chain and trade disruptions, and contractual pitfalls associated with emerging contaminants. Panelists will discuss real-world case studies and best practices that highlight effective cross-functional collaboration, risk allocation in contracts, and strategic engagement with evolving regulations, offering practical insights for building a robust company-wide approach to this pressing and dynamic issue.
Greenberg Traurig: Laura Hammargren, Shareholder (moderator); David Yates, Shareholder (panelist); Laura Siegel Rabinowitz, Shareholder (panelist); Seth Goldberg, Shareholder (panelist).
3:50 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Break
4:05 p.m. – 5:05 p.m. – CLE Session 5: FTC & DOJ: Continuity and Change in Antitrust in 2025 session
This panel will examine FTC and DOJ enforcement priorities under the second Trump administration, highlighting both continuity with Biden-era policies and notable shifts in approach. Topics include merger review, labor-related enforcement, and executive branch actions impacting antitrust. Panelists will also discuss leadership changes at the agencies and how those shifts may influence enforcement style and strategic direction.
Freshfields: Andrew Ewalt, Partner; Austin Evers, Partner; Mary Lehner, Partner.
5:05 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Networking Reception co-hosted by Foley & Lardner LLP with heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks
Friday, November 14
Marriott Metro Center, 755 12th Street NW, Washington, DC
7:45 a.m. – Registration Opens
8:00 a.m. – Breakfast Available
8:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Judicial Independence, Democracy and the Economy: A Breakfast Panel Discussion by Former Federal Judges from the Article III Coalition
The Article III Coalition is comprised of 49 former U.S. District & Circuit Judges appointed by Presidents Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, W. Bush & Obama. The Coalition’s Judges, who are almost evenly divided between those appointed by a Republican and those appointed by a Democratic President, will discuss why judicial independence is critical to the future of both our democracy and economy, including why the failure to follow the rule of law and to comply with court orders, and improper intimidation and coercion of judges, should be a major issue for NAM Members. The Coalition is a non-partisan, civic education initiative of Keep Our Republic, see https://keepourrepublic.org/article-iii-coalition/, which is 501(c)(3) entity.
The Coalition Judges include: (i) Judge Robert Cindrich (appointed by Pres. Clinton), who was a U.S. District Judge and also served as General Counsel of 2 companies (i.e., U.S. Steel Corporation & University of Pittsburgh Medical Center), on the Boards of major companies (e.g., Mylan & Allscripts Healthcare), as a law firm Managing Partner, and as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. (ii) Judge Allyson Duncan (appointed by Pres. W. Bush), who was a law professor, a law firm partner, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the 1st African-American President of the North Carolina Bar Association, and a N.C. state court Judge before being appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. (iii) Judge Paul Michel (appointed by Pres. Reagan), who retired as Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and is an intellectual property law expert, and previously served as Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutor, as Assistant Counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, as Associate Deputy Attorney General, and as Counsel and Chief of Staff to Senator Specter.
Discussion moderated by Mike Schaengold, Washington, D.C.
9:05 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. – CLE Session 6: Product Liability in the Age of AI: Navigating Risk from Autonomous Systems and Electric Vehicle Technology
Advancing technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomous mobility, and vehicle electrification, bring both transformative potential and substantial risk. Beyond societal ethics implications, equipment and transportation designed with powerful but unfamiliar features give rise to novel and significant product liability exposure. This panel of experienced product liability litigators, technical experts, and industry professionals will address the consumer-facing, industrial B2B, and workplace concerns raised by this exponential leap in product performance. We will analyze the evolving legal frameworks, dissect recent litigation trends, and provide practical risk-mitigation strategies for manufacturers navigating this complex landscape.
Ballard Spahr
Neal Walters, Partner, Ballard Spahr (moderator); Casey Watkins, of Counsel, Ballard Spahr; Carrie Gage, Senior Regulatory and Safety Counsel, Torc Robotics; Ashish Arora, P.E., Principal Engineer, Exponent, Inc.
10:05 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – CLE Session 7: Tiny Particles, Big Problems: The Rise of Microplastics Litigation
Microplastics are rapidly becoming a litigation flashpoint, with plaintiffs’ firms rolling out their playbook for turning societal wide issues into mass tort and other types of high-stakes litigations. Like other experiments in the plaintiff-lawyers’ legal laboratory, the lawyers, their funders and their allies are in the process of developing legal theories, scientific studies, and emotionally charged narratives to see what will stick in their effort to subject America’s manufacturers and energy producers to liability. This panel will unpack their tactics, highlight emerging regulatory triggers for their litigations, and analyze the types of claims gaining traction in the courts. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the litigation risk exposure over microplastics, as well as proactive strategies that can help mitigate the potential reputational and financial impact of facing microplastics litigation.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon: Phil Goldberg, Washington DC Office Managing Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon (moderator); Jennifer Hackman, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon (panelist); Shanna Goss, Senior Counsel ExxonMobil Corporation (panelist); Catie Boston, National Director of Human Health Risk Services/Principal Scientist, Roux (panelist).
11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – CLE Session 8: The Age of AI and Your Ethical Obligations as a Lawyer
Generative AI is reshaping the practice of law, offering powerful new technological capabilities while raising unprecedented risks. This session provides a clear, high-level overview of emerging AI technologies to help legal professionals understand both their capabilities and their limits. We’ll unpack the rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape surrounding AI use and spotlight the ethical duties lawyers must keep top of mind when leveraging these tools. Attendees will gain practical insights into how to harness AI responsibly, mitigate risk, and uphold their professional obligations in this new era of practice.
Hilgers Graben: Rose J. Hunter Jones, Partner; Sarah Resczenko, Senior Counsel.
12:20 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Closing Networking Lunch
CLE Credits
We have partnered with a premier CLE accreditation vendor to handle accreditation for the Summit. We estimate our program constituting 8 credit hours. We will seek accreditation in any state requested by a registrant. Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity by filling out the CLE section during your registration.
