The 2025 Institute for Corporate Counsel, co-hosted by the USC Gould School of Law and the Los Angeles County Bar Association Business Law Section, brought together attorneys, executives, and business leaders on December 3 at The California Club in Downtown Los Angeles, featuring keynote appearances by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Mark T. Uyeda.
The one-day event examined the convergence of public leadership and private-sector decision-making, with sessions addressing artificial intelligence, evolving regulatory frameworks, workforce challenges, and the legal implications of economic and political change.
Mayor Bass opened the 2025 Institute for Corporate Counsel in conversation with Cielo V. Castro of the California Community Foundation.
“To be in this position now, my life has come full circle to issues that we were working on in the community over 30 years ago,” said Bass. “It gave me an opportunity to utilize my experiences serving in the state legislature and on the federal side and apply it to LA.”
At the Luncheon Keynote, Uyeda offered an inside look at the SEC’s current priorities. Reflecting on his leadership as Acting Chair, Uyeda addressed investor protection, enforcement trends, and the pressures facing corporate counsel navigating complex regulatory and market conditions.
“The fundamental question is what are the costs and burdens associated with the preparation of quarterly forms and to finances that provide corresponding benefits to shareholders,” said Uyeda. “As regulators, we should be open to change rather than have a reflexive instinct to maintain the existing frameworks and the status quo.”
The morning sessions examined regulatory and compliance challenges from multiple perspectives. One concurrent panel focused on the risks associated with services used by minors and teens, highlighting state and federal regulations, age-verification technologies, and enforcement priorities. Panelists addressed how companies can balance innovation with compliance as user populations grow younger and regulatory scrutiny intensifies.
In a parallel session, panelists explored regulatory litigation trends and how states such as California are strengthening enforcement as federal regulation evolves. The discussion provided guidance on how corporate counsel can prepare for a shifting legal landscape and mitigate risk in a more aggressive regulatory climate.
The afternoon program turned to two of the most urgent areas facing corporate legal departments: artificial intelligence and workforce management. A panel on AI explored governance frameworks, regulatory developments, and practical strategies for managing legal risk as adoption accelerates across industries. Panelists emphasized responsible oversight and the growing role of legal teams in shaping corporate AI strategy.
A concurrent panel examined employment and immigration law developments in 2025, including executive actions, legislative changes, and emerging litigation trends. The session provided practical guidance for navigating compliance challenges in an increasingly complex and global employment landscape.
Later in the program, former appellate judges and leading practitioners delivered a Supreme Court update focused on decisions affecting the business community and previewed cases expected to shape the Court’s upcoming term. The panel discussed that policy problems can be solved with political remedies, not necessarily judicial ones.
“Part of what is in the courts is the perception — brought on by both parties — that when they criticize the decisions that go against their precedents, that judges are political actors. I really don’t think that they are,” said Gregg J. Costa, Partner and Co-Chair of Trial Practice Group at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. “I think this has created political crises that are hurting the legitimacy of the courts.”
The day concluded with a candid discussion among experienced general counsel and chief legal officers who shared insights into enterprise risk, regulatory exposure, and managing uncertainty in today’s corporate environment.
For more than 40 years, the Institute for Corporate Counsel has served as a forum for in-house and outside counsel to stay current on legal developments, share best practices, and strengthen professional connections. The 2025 Institute continued this tradition by bringing together leaders from business, government, and law to engage in timely, practical, and forward-looking conversations.
Learn more at gould.law/ICC
About USC Gould Continuing Legal Education
USC Gould School of Law offers continuing legal education opportunities for professionals who want to learn and network with leading experts in their industries. A fixture of the Los Angeles legal community since 1948, USC Gould Continuing Legal Education hosts six annual conferences for professionals at every level to learn from, and network with, the biggest players in entertainment, estate planning, business, tax and intellectual property. To learn more, visit or subscribe at gould.usc.edu/cle – and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
Previous Article
