Advising the Modern Board: Legal Strategy, Risk and Fiduciary Duty in 2025
Date: Sep 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Online
Member Price: $159.00
Non-Member Price: $199.00
Section Price: $0.00
Areas of Law: Business
Earn up to 3.3 credits, including 0.6 in Ethics! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
- Luis J. Diaz, Esq.
- Chief Legal Officer, CDS Technology Group
Presenters
Boards need more than compliance – they need legal judgment in chaos.
In an era defined by geopolitical instability, ransomware attacks, AI disruption, supply chain fragility, and reputational minefields, boards of directors are operating under unprecedented pressure. Legal advisors—whether in-house counsel or private practitioners—must now interpret fiduciary duty not only in light of statutes and precedent, but in fast-moving, high-stakes contexts that test judgment and strategic clarity.
Our expert faculty will provide the latest insights to help corporate lawyers to advise boards navigating real-time governance dilemmas and to examine:
- How fiduciary duties are evolving under pressure from cyberattacks, AI adoption, and stakeholder scrutiny
- When board silence becomes legal risk—and how counsel should respond
- What exposure exists when vendors fail, sanctions hit, or headlines turn hostile
- How to maintain ethical clarity and protect privilege while supporting governance under pressure
Join us to make sure you are prepared to navigate what’s next—with confidence, clarity, and credibility.
Program Agenda:
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9:00 | Welcome and Framing: Legal Counsel in the Age of Uncertainty
- Why 2025 is redefining governance risk
- Fiduciary duties in flux
- Strategic role of legal advisors in uncertainty
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9:10 | Module 1: Fiduciary Duty Under Pressure—What Still Applies, What Has Changed
- Clarify how New Jersey fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and oversight apply in crisis-driven environments
- Analyze recent litigation and boardroom trends post-Francis v. United Jersey Bank
- Understand the blurred line between reputational harm and legal liability
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9:40 | Module 2: Cybersecurity, AI, and Third-Party Exposure – A New Era of Director Liability
- Examine and apply AI governance frameworks
- Board-level AI oversight committee structures and charters
- AI ethics policy development and implementation monitoring
- Integration of AI risk assessment into existing enterprise risk management
- Get up to date on the regulatory compliance landscape:
- EU AI Act implications for US corporations with European operations
- Emerging state-level AI regulations and compliance requirements
- Examine 2024–2025 lawsuits where directors were sued after cyber breaches and IT vendor failures
- Equip clients with due diligence standards for high-risk tech and procurement decisions
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10:30 | Break
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10:40 | Module 3: Global Conflict, Sanctions and Supply Chain Disruption – Cross-Border Legal Risk in the Boardroom
- Identify board exposure when operating in or contracting with politically sensitive or sanctioned regions
- Understand how evolving U.S. sanctions, tariff regimes, and foreign policy disputes impact procurement and vendor governance
- Advise on balancing legal risk, ESG objectives, and business continuity
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11:20 | Module 4: Ethics and Advisory Judgment in the Face of Uncertainty
- Apply NJ Rules of Professional Conduct 1.13 (organization as client) and 2.1 (independent judgment) to high-conflict governance advice
- Maintain clarity when directors demand strategic input in reputational controversies
- Recognize red flags for privilege risks, stakeholder interference, or internal pressure
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11:50 | Closing Q&A and Legal Toolkit
- Recap of legal tools: decision brief templates, vendor vetting checklists, board briefing frameworks
- CLE codes and resource download access
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12:00 | Adjourn
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