Terms and Conditions

ACC Code of Conduct for Online Engagement 

 The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all participants who engage with ACC both online and in person.

We expect all participants at ACC meetings to abide by this Code of Conduct in all online forums and programs organized by ACC.

 

  • Exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions
  • Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech
  • Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants
  • Alert ACC if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or any violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential.
  • Further, if you feel you are being subjected to, or notice that someone else is being subjected to, behavior that violates this code of conduct, contact a member of ACC staff.
  • All reports will be kept confidential.

  

Unacceptable Behaviors 

 

Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to: 

  • Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning speech or actions
  • Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments or visual images related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, disability, or other personal characteristics
  • Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces (including presentation slides)
  • Intimidation, stalking, or following
  • Harassing photography
  • Photographing slides of oral presentations and posters without permission
  • Recording of sessions without permission
  • Violating the rules and regulations of the conference venue or hotel
  • Sustained disruption of sessions or other events
  • Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact
  • Physical assault (including unwelcome touch or groping)
  • Actual or implied threat of physical harm
  • Actual or implied threat of professional, reputational or financial damage or harm

  

If You Witness or Experience Conduct That Violates the Code 

 

ACC staff is available to assist participants in contacting local law enforcement, and otherwise assist those experiencing harassment, to enable them to feel safe. We value your participation and want to make your experience as productive and professionally inspiring as possible. 

 

Need to file a complaint? Please contact ACC staff for a complaint form. A copy of the complaint will be provided to the accused for an opportunity to respond. 

If possible, provide the following information, preferably in writing: 

  • Identifying information (name) of the participant doing the harassing;
  • The behavior that was in violation
  • The approximate time of the behavior (if different than the time the report was made)
  • The circumstances surrounding the incident
  • Other people involved in or witnessing the incident

All complaints will be treated seriously and responded to promptly. 

  

We Respect Your Confidentiality 

The rights and privacy of those involved, including the rights of those who are being investigated, are protected. Keep in mind that if you report a concern, your identity will only be revealed if it is absolutely necessary and only to those who have a clear need to know so they can completely address and resolve the incident you reported. 

  

You Don’t Have to Give Your Name 

If you decide to report a concern anonymously, please be sure to provide as many details as possible. To facilitate as complete an investigation as possible with an anonymous report, we need to know who, what, when, where, why, and how, as outlined above. 

  

You May Receive Updates 

After you file a report, you may receive periodic updates. Keep in mind, however, that you may not see any obvious signs that your complaint is being reviewed or investigated. In fact, because of our commitment to confidential and fair investigations, you might never know all what was done to investigate or what corrective actions were taken. You are free to contact us at any time for an update. 

  

Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior 

Unacceptable behavior from any participant, sponsor, or vendor will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. 

If a participant engages in unacceptable behavior, ACC staff may remove said participant from the forums/eGroups, and/or may be banned from future ACC events. Egregious violations will result in more severe sanctions, including the possibility of reporting to local law enforcement. 

ACC Terms and Conditions

The ACC Website may contain bulletin board services, chat areas, news groups, forums, commentary services, communities, personal web pages, calendars, membership directory, and/or other message or communication facilities (collectively, “Communication Services”) designed to enable you to communicate with an individual, the public at-large or with a group. This explicitly includes the online version of ACC Docket. You agree to use the Communication Services only to post, send, and receive messages and material that are proper and related to the particular Communication Service. To use the Communication Services you represent and warrant that you are at least of 18 years of age.

By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using a Communication Service, you will not:

  • Advertise or offer to sell or buy any goods or services for any business purpose
  • Solicit for any open jobs or positions, either temporary or permanent, or make any other type of solicitation ACC deems to be inappropriate
  • Use Communication Services for political campaigning, recruiting votes, or soliciting support for legislative or other initiatives
  • Conduct or forward surveys, contests, pyramid schemes or chain letters
  • Download any file posted by another user of a Communication Service that you know, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner
  • Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others
  • Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful topic, name, material or information
  • Upload files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy of publicity) unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents
  • Upload files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer
  • Falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is uploaded
  • Harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including email addresses, without their consent
  • Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Communication Services, any portion or contents thereof, or related systems or networks
  • Use the Communication Services in any way which degrades their reliability, speed or operation, or their underlying hardware or software
  • Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Communication Services
  • Violate any code of conduct or other guidelines, which may be applicable for any particular Communication Service
  • Violate any applicable laws or regulations

ACC has no obligation to monitor the Communication Services. ACC cannot verify the accuracy of statements that users make or place on or through the Communication Services, and does not guarantee that any User Materials have been submitted with the permission of the copyright or proprietary owner or are otherwise in compliance with these Terms.

All comments, concerns, and notices of violations of these Terms of Use can be made to legalresources@acc.com. If you have a concern about copyright ownership or any information posted on ACC’s website, please refer to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provisions below.

However, ACC reserves the right to:

  • Review materials posted to a Communication Service and to remove or edit any materials in its sole discretion, including those in violation of these Terms
  • Disclose your identity to any third party who claims that material posted by you violates their rights, including their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy
  • Take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the ACC Website
  • Change, terminate, or suspend the Communication Services, any features of the Communication Services, and any content or materials contained in the Communication Services, in any way, at any time and for any reason or no reason.
  • ACC also has the right to require you to cease accessing any features, content or materials of the Communication Services.

Always use caution when giving out any personally identifying information about yourself or your acquaintances in any Communication Service. ACC does not control or endorse the content, messages, or information found in any Communication Service and, therefore, ACC specifically disclaims any liability with regard to the Communication Services and any actions resulting from your participation in any Communication Service. ACC Members are not authorized ACC spokespersons, and their views do not necessarily reflect those of ACC.

Materials uploaded to a Communication Service may be subject to posted limitations on usage, reproduction, and/or dissemination. You are responsible for adhering to such limitations if you download the materials.

You can view ACC’s full terms of use on the ACC website, HERE.