The ACC Foundation today announced its honorees for its third annual Global Women in Law & Leadership Honors Dinner, to be hosted at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room on June 19.
WASHINGTON (June 5, 2018) –– The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Foundation, which supports the mission of ACC, a global legal association representing more than 43,000 in-house counsel in 85 countries, today announced its honorees for its third annual Global Women in Law & Leadership Honors Dinner, to be hosted at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room on June 19.
The ACC Foundation named Sandie Okoro, senior vice president and group general counsel at World Bank; Hon. Ann Claire Williams, of counsel at Jones Day and retired US Circuit Judge of the US Court of Appeals; and Dr. Anne Summers, journalist, author, and political activist, as 2018 honorees.
A British barrister and solicitor, Okoro has received numerous accolades in the United Kingdom for her volunteer efforts on diversity, women's empowerment, and leadership. Among Okoro's many awards, Guardian Newspaper named her one of 10 women changing the face of Britain in 2014, and Powerlist 2015 named her the fourth most influential black person in Britain. In 2016, Okoro received the lifetime achievement award from the UK's Black Solicitors' Network and made an Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple in 2017.
Williams leads Jones Day's efforts to advance the delivery of justice worldwide, specifically in Africa, and has partnered with judiciaries, attorneys, non-governmental organizations, and the US Departments of Justice and State to lead training programs in Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Williams also helped start Just The Beginning — A Pipeline Organization, the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Chicago, and Minority Legal Education Resources. Additionally, she is the first woman of color to serve on a district court in the three-state Seventh Circuit and the third woman of color to serve on any federal circuit court.
A best-selling author, journalist and thought-leader in the Australia, Europe, and the United States, Summers has championed women's equality for decades. She ran Australia's federal Office of the Status of Women and was the editor-in-chief of Ms., America's leading feminist magazine. Summers and her business partner Sandra Yates also became the second only women-led management buyout in US corporate history in 1988 after raising $20 million on Wall Street to purchase Ms. And Sassy magazines. In 1989, Summers was made an officer in the Order of Australia for her contributions to women and media, and in 2017, she was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame.
"This year's honorees have truly been instrumental in advancing opportunities for women and diverse groups around the world," said ACC Foundation Director Jennifer Chen. "We are honored to support their initiatives to help women thrive and celebrate the immense impact they've had on the global legal and business community."
At the June 19 event, the honorees will participate in an interview about their accomplishments, leadership styles, and advice for female business and legal leaders. Richard Lui, journalist and news anchor at MSNBC and NBC News, will moderate. Additionally, Paul Hastings LLP is this year's global event sponsor.
If you are interested in attending this year's honors dinner as press, please contact Jane Myers, ACC communications manager, at myers@acc.com.
About the ACC Foundation: The ACC Foundation – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – supports the efforts of the Association of Corporate Counsel, serving the needs of the in-house bar through research, leadership and professional development opportunities, and support of diversity and pro-bono initiatives. The ACC Foundation partners with corporations, law firms, legal service providers, and bar associations to assist in the furtherance of these goals. For more information, visit www.acc.com/foundation.
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