Law in the age of systemic risk

NEW YORK, September 15th 2026 – The Economist will bring together more than 500 general counsel, chief legal officers and senior in-house legal leaders at the 5th Annual General Counsel Summit US to examine how legal leadership is evolving in an era defined by geopolitical volatility, technological disruption and growing uncertainty around the application of law.

Under the theme "Law in the age of systemic risk", the summit will explore how politics, regulation, technology and corporate strategy are becoming increasingly intertwined. As organisations grapple with shifting enforcement priorities, AI adoption, shareholder activism, immigration policy changes and geopolitical tensions, legal leaders are being asked to provide judgement far beyond traditional legal advice.

The programme will examine how general counsel are helping organisations navigate uncertainty, distinguish legal obligation from political signalling, manage enterprise-wide risk and create business value in an increasingly complex operating environment.

The event opens with a global trends briefing from Andrew Viteritti, principal economist for the Americas at the Economist Intelligence Unit, providing attendees with an overview of the economic, geopolitical and business forces likely to shape the year ahead.

Programme highlights include:

• Counsel and conscience: the GC in a polarised age – featuring Anne E. Robinson, senior vice-president and chief legal officer at IBM, and Rodney C. Pratt, senior vice-president and chief legal officer at LVMH North America, discussing the role of legal leaders amid political polarisation, regulatory scrutiny and employee activism.
• The GC's role in the grey zone: law v politics – Vanessa Sutherland, executive vice-president, government affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary at Phillips 66, joins Alphonso David, president and chief executive of the Global Black Economic Forum, to explore the growing challenge of distinguishing legal obligations from policy signals and perceived risk.
• The end of leverage? Rewriting the law firm model – legal leaders from Ford Foundation, Saks Global and legal marketplace Priori examine how AI is transforming legal delivery, talent development and client expectations.
• The talent vacuum: who becomes the next GC? – LaTanya Langley, chief people officer, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Edgewell, discusses the future of legal leadership and succession planning as traditional talent pipelines evolve.
• M&A and antitrust: a market check-in – executives from Elanco and Albertsons join White & Case to assess dealmaking, competition enforcement and cross-border regulatory scrutiny.
• The changing role of the lawyer in an AI-driven legal function – Vandana Venkatesh, executive vice-president and chief legal officer at Verizon, and John LaBarre, general counsel at Harvey, discuss how legal teams are moving beyond AI experimentation towards measurable business value.
• Judicial independence and the rule of law – former federal judges Bernice B. Donald and John E. Jones III examine the implications for business when confidence in legal institutions and judicial independence is challenged.
• Who signed that contract? Liability in the age of AI agents – legal leaders from Okta and Viking Global Investors explore governance, accountability and liability when autonomous AI systems act on behalf of organisations.
• The border problem: managing workforce exposure – experts discuss how companies are preparing for immigration enforcement actions, workforce disruption and operational continuity risks.
• The CTO-CISO-GC triangle: who really owns enterprise AI risk? – Francesca Campbell of Stanley Black & Decker and Jennifer D. Suess of RioCan explore accountability, governance and risk ownership in AI-enabled organisations.
• AI value creation: what works and what doesn't – practical case studies from Bank of New York Mellon and GetYourGuide examine where AI investments are delivering measurable returns and where expectations have outpaced reality.

Additional speakers include senior legal executives from: IBM, Verizon, PayPal, Airbnb, LVMH North America, Phillips 66, Stanley Black & Decker, The Cigna Group, Barclays, Albertsons, Elanco, Dentsu Group, Ford Foundation, Saks Global, Heineken USA, Cox Media Group, Access Now, Harvey, MARA Holdings and many other leading organisations.

The summit will be moderated by journalists and editors from The Economist, including Charlotte Howard, executive editor and New York bureau chief, and Mike Bird, Wall Street editor.

Held under Chatham House Rule, the General Counsel Summit US provides a trusted forum for candid discussion among senior legal leaders. Participants will gain practical insights into the challenges shaping legal leadership today while building valuable connections with peers from across industries.

The programme concludes with a forward-looking discussion on the boardroom decisions likely to define 2027 and beyond, examining the political, technological and economic forces that will shape legal strategy for years to come.

Event details and registration
5th Annual General Counsel Summit US
Law in the age of systemic risk
September 15th 2026
New York
Register to join more than 500 legal leaders for a closed-door, Chatham House exchange.

For more information, visit the General Counsel Summit US website.

Networking and collaboration opportunities
Connect with more than 500 general counsel, chief legal officers and senior legal leaders through dedicated networking sessions, roundtables and informal discussions. Share experiences, exchange ideas and build valuable relationships with peers navigating today's most pressing legal and business challenges.

About Economist Enterprise
Economist Enterprise is the business-facing arm of The Economist Group. It helps organisations navigate global complexity, make confident strategic decisions and engage credibly on the issues shaping markets and policy. By combining forward-looking analysis, authoritative perspectives and platforms for informed engagement, Economist Enterprise makes sense of global change for strategists, investors, risk managers and leaders.

About The Economist (www.economist.com) 
The Economist is an international news organisation that provides trusted insight and analysis on world affairs, business, finance, science and technology. Through its journalism, research and events, The Economist convenes influential leaders to discuss the ideas and issues shaping the future of business, policy and society.

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The Economist
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The Economist 
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