Event details
February 26, 2026

Event summary

Cooley was a proud sponsor of the L Suite’s “Boardroom Pressure Points: Ethical Duties When Advising the CEO and Board” webinar and was pleased to offer exclusive access to what is typically a members‑only conversation.

Cooley partners Beth Sasfai and Brad Goldberg led a discussion on how in‑house general counsel operated at a unique crossroads of influence, accountability and ethical responsibility.

Through interactive discussion, they explored:

  • The client was the organization: A practical review of the lawyer’s ethical duties to the company and how those duties differed from advising individual executives or directors.
  • Advising the CEO versus advising the board: How GCs navigated moments when management and board perspectives diverged, and how ethical obligations shaped those conversations.
  • Maintaining professional independence under pressure: Strategies for preserving objectivity and credibility when legal advice was unpopular, inconvenient or at odds with business momentum.
  • Conflicts in the real world: How current, former and third‑party relationships created ethical dilemmas in practice, illustrated through real‑life scenarios GCs regularly faced in high‑stakes governance moments.

Speakers

  • Brad Goldberg – Partner at Cooley
  • Beth Sasfai – Partner at Cooley
  • Casey O’Connor – Chief legal officer at Stitch Fix

 

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