On April 12, 2016, ACC recognized the following two winners of the inaugural ACC Advocacy Award:
Randy Milch, former executive vice president and general counsel, Verizon
ACC Australia Legal Profession Uniform Law Sub-committee
Milch has influenced both the Joint Virginia State Bar and Virginia Bar Association Corporate Counsel Task Force and the Advisory Committee on Pro Bono Service by In-House Counsel in New York to allow in-house lawyers working in these states to perform pro bono work without unnecessary restrictions. Furthermore, he founded Verizon’s award-winning pro bono program and widely encouraged Verizon lawyers and other companies to volunteer their services.
“I am honored to receive ACC’s inaugural Advocacy Award and do so on behalf of the members of Verizon’s Public Policy, Legal and Security Department, who have served so many individuals through their pro bono work,” said Milch.
The ACC Australia Legal Profession Uniform Law Sub-committee has worked closely with Australian regulators to ensure that the Legal Profession Uniform Law fully considers the unique position of in-house legal practice. As a result, regulations have been implemented to assist the in-house legal profession throughout Australia with transitioning into the new regulatory system, and the Legal Profession Admission Board has provided assistance to foreign admitted lawyers in an effort to help obtain either full or conditional admission to practice.
“It is fantastic for our subcommittee to be recognized for this work, which facilitates and clarifies representation of companies by in-house counsel,” said Lori Middlehurst, director APJ Employment Law at VMware, Inc. “This piece of advocacy resulted in a direct positive impact on the licensing of in-house lawyers and fortified and clarified the ability of those lawyers to assert attorney-client privilege.”