WASHINGTON– LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire –The Association of Corporate Counsel (“ACC”) announced the arrival of Ellen Zavian as Associate General Counsel and Director of Legal Resources, Susan Jacobsen as Director of Communications and Public Relations, Lucy Jones as Director of Business Development, and Jim Way as Director of Membership Marketing in September. Ellen’s legal background and strength in publishing and online communications and Jim, with his wide-ranging background in membership marketing, combined with Susan and Lucy, both long-standing members of the legal marketing community, will further strengthen the association’s reach into the legal industry and reinforce its commitment to providing in-depth resources and industry expertise for its membership base.
“Ellen, Susan, Lucy and Jim are joining the association during a very exciting time as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary and are nearing 23,000 members,” says Fred Krebs, ACC President. “The continued growth and success of the association is a testament to the commitment of those associated with ACC, from the Board to our members to our Staff and Leadership. Ellen, Susan, Lucy and Jim each bring unique insight, first-hand industry knowledge and added depth to the association and we welcome them to our growing team.”
Ellen joins ACC in its Legal Resources department where she will identify new, cutting-edge initiatives to keep ACC members abreast of those issues deemed important to in-house counsel. Previously, Ellen served as national coordinator for the NFL Players Association/John Hopkins Native Vision project, which addressed life issues facing the Native American population across the country. Her legal career includes the representation of over 40 NFL players; members of the 1996 US Women’s soccer and softball teams in contract negotiations with their governing bodies; and professional skateboarders in negotiations with ESPN for the X-Games. She has been a columnist for Street & Smith’s Business Journal, Brand Marketing and Operation Bass magazines, and has contributed to such print and online media outlets as Street & Smith’s PRO, Football Annual and College Basketball, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, USAToday.com, and MSNBC.com. Ellen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the University of Maryland and Juris Doctorate from the American University.
Susan, in her new role overseeing communications and public relations for ACC, will develop and lead a focused communications strategy for the association, including the execution and communication of advocacy, diversity and pro bono initiatives. Susan is an accomplished communications and marketing professional with 15 years of experience and a diverse background within the legal services industry. Previously, Susan worked with lawyers and their clients in senior-level positions for one of the first media and public relations firms focused on law firms globally; for a leading jury and trial consulting firm retained in high risk, high-stakes litigation; with a publication serving the interests of the corporate counsel audience; and most recently, for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, one of the largest international law firms. Susan obtained her undergraduate degree in Communications, Law and Government from The American University, and her Master of Arts in Telecommunications from George Mason University. She is a member of the Legal Marketing Association and is a mentor for individual members.
Lucy, in her position overseeing business development activities, will solidify, expand and foster the relationships and ongoing interaction with new and existing association supporters. With more than 20 years of experience in the legal profession, Lucy brings an uncanny understanding of the law firm industry, as well as strong relationships with attorneys, marketing professionals and industry experts. Most recently, Lucy was the Strategic Client Manager with LEXIS-NEXIS, responsible for managing and overseeing major account activities for many of the AMLAW 100 law firms in the Northeast region. In her consultative role, she has developed relationships with key decision makers in some of the most distinguished law firms in the country. Lucy earned degrees in Spanish and French from Mary Washington College and paralegal training at George Washington University. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Legal Marketing Association, Capital Chapter where she is Program Chair.
Jim, in the newly created position of Director of Membership Marketing, will keep association members up-to-date and informed of the tools and resources available to them with their ACC membership. Jim comes to ACC with over 12 years of experience in marketing functions for a diverse set of mid- to small-sized organizations. In his immediate past role as a marketing manager for the Airlines Reporting Corporation, he played a key role in the development and implementation of strategic marketing efforts for this $100 million dollar travel industry mainstay. He has also developed marketing strategies for an online retail start-up, as well as a national aviation association. Jim graduated from Hartwick College with a Bachelors degree in Marketing Management and is an active member of the ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership and the American Marketing Association.
The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), the in-house bar associationSM, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2007. ACC serves the professional needs of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations and other private sector organizations worldwide. Promoting the common interests of its members, ACC contributes to their continuing education, seeks to improve understanding of the role of in-house attorneys, and encourages advancements in standards of corporate legal practice. Since its founding, the association has grown to over 22,000 members in more than 74 countries who represent over 9,500 organizations. ACC has 48 chapters and 14 committees serving the membership. Its members represent all of the Fortune 50 and Fortune 100 companies. Internationally, its members represent 42 of the Global 50 and 74 of the Global 100 companies. For more information, visit ACC online at www.acc.com.
