2027 National Bar Association Commercial Law Section

CORPORATE COUNSEL

CONFERENCE

February 24 - 27, 2027  | Orlando, FL

2027 NBA-CLS CORPORATE COUNSEL CONFERENCE

HONORARY CO-CHAIRS

As we prepare for the National Bar Association Commercial Law Section’s 40th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference (ACCC), we are excited to announce our 2027 Honorary Co-Chairs. For the past four decades, the NBA CLS ACCC has served as a catalyst for leadership, innovation, and champions of excellence. Our Honorary Co-Chairs stand as living examples of those ideals.

Through decades of distinguished service, they have guided organizations through complexity and change, advised some of the world’s most influential institutions, and championed progress across the profession. Equally important, they have invested in those who follow—creating opportunities, opening doors, and inspiring future generations of legal leaders. Their collective impact reflects not only remarkable professional achievement, but also a legacy of leadership that will continue to shape the profession for years to come.

We are proud to welcome our 2027 Honorary Co-Chairs. Learn more about these amazing leaders below.

SELECT A HONORARY CO-CHAIR TO EXPLORE THEIR PROFILE

Executive Vice President, Global Chief Legal Officer

McDonald's Corporation

Meet the 2027 Honorary Co-Chairs

Gina Adams

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary,
FedEx Corporation

Gina Adams is Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of FedEx Corporation. She directs the company's global legal, security, and government and regulatory affairs functions, helping ensure operational compliance while guiding strategic initiatives as a member of the executive committee.

Before assuming her current role in 2024, Adams served as Corporate Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, where she helped shape FedEx's policy interests in global commerce and transportation. She joined FedEx in 1992 and is a four-time recipient of the company's Five-Star Award, its highest achievement award. Adams began her legal career in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Attorney Honors Program.

Beyond FedEx, Adams is an active corporate and civic leader. She serves as an independent director for Entergy Corporation and American Funds, part of Capital Group. She is Vice Chair of the Economic Club of Washington, former Chair of the Board of American University, and serves as a director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Atlantic Council, and the National Air and Space Museum.

Her leadership has earned significant recognition. Adams was inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame in 2018 and was honored by the American Association of Airport Executives Foundation with a permanently endowed scholarship awarded annually to female students enrolled in accredited aviation programs. In 2022, the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. presented her with its inaugural Arne M. Sorenson Excellence in Leadership Award for her efforts to strengthen ties among the region's business, civic, diplomatic, and philanthropic communities.

Adams earned a Bachelor of Science from American University, a Juris Doctor from Howard University, and an LL.M. from Georgetown University. She also holds honorary doctorates from Trinity Washington University and the University of the District of Columbia.

Brian W. Ellis

Jeffrey S. Harleston

General Counsel & Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs, Universal Music Group

Jeffrey Harleston is General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Music Group (UMG), a global leader in music-based entertainment with operations in more than 60 countries. As a member of UMG's executive management board, he oversees business transactions, contracts, and litigation across the company's worldwide operations, as well as government relations, trade, and anti-piracy activities.

Harleston is also a co-founder of UMG's Task Force for Meaningful Change, formed in 2020 to identify, coordinate, and implement social change initiatives focused on Black and Latino communities. During his 30-year career with UMG, he has held several senior executive positions, including Interim Chairman of Def Jam Records, Executive Vice President and Head of Operations for Geffen Records, and Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for MCA Records.

Before joining UMG, Harleston served as Associate Independent Counsel during the investigation and prosecution of the Iran-Contra matter. He also practiced as a litigation associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., and, before law school, worked as an account executive for Saatchi & Saatchi Compton Advertising in New York.

Harleston's achievements have been recognized throughout the entertainment and legal industries. His honors include The Recording Academy's 2020 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award, Billboard's 2018 Lawyer of the Year recognition, the Association of Corporate Counsel Southern California's 2018 Diversity Award, and inclusion on Ebony magazine's Power 100. He has also been regularly recognized on Billboard's Power 100 list.

Harleston serves on the Board of Trustees of Williams College and the Board of Harvard-Westlake School, as well as the boards of the Recording Industry Association of America, the T.J. Martell Foundation, MusiCares, and the Motown Museum. He is a founder of the Universal/Motown Fund, an endowment dedicated to providing financial assistance to artists from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Williams College and his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Joe Pierce

Senior Vice President & General Counsel,
AMB Sports & Entertainment

Joe Pierce is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of AMB Sports & Entertainment, where he leads all legal affairs for the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the PGA TOUR Superstore chain. He also provides counsel on sponsorship, media, litigation, employment, finance, intellectual property, and league policy matters across the Blank Family of Businesses.

Prior to joining AMB Sports & Entertainment in 2020, Pierce served as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Hornets Sports & Entertainment, managing legal affairs for the Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm, and Spectrum Center. He previously spent five years at Bank of America as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Global Marketing & Corporate Affairs, where he served as lead counsel on sponsorship and licensing agreements involving major properties including the NFL, MLB, PGA Tour, and NASCAR.

Earlier in his career, Pierce served as Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Comcast Sports Group, negotiating television rights agreements with professional and collegiate teams and conferences. He began his career in sports as Associate General Counsel for the Jacksonville Jaguars after practicing corporate law at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he represented emerging growth technology companies and investors in venture capital financings, public securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.

Pierce serves on the boards of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc., Enterprise Mobility, the Sports Lawyers Association, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. His honors include recognition on Lawyers of Color's inaugural Nation's Best list, Georgetown University's Samuel A. Halsey, Jr. alumni award, the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association Trailblazer Award, Savoy magazine's Most Influential Executives in Corporate America list, and the Burton Foundation's 2025 Legend in Law recognition.

A native of San Antonio, Pierce earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in finance from Georgetown University, where he captained the track and field team and became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He earned dual Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton School of Business.

Desiree Ralls-Morrison

Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer,
McDonald's Corporation

Desiree Ralls-Morrison is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of McDonald's. In this role, she oversees the company's global legal operations, supports its business strategies, anticipates and manages risk, advances the McDonald's brand and values, and advises the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer.

Ralls-Morrison brings extensive leadership experience across global organizations and highly regulated industries. Prior to joining McDonald's, she served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Boston Scientific Corporation and at Boehringer Ingelheim USA, Inc. She also previously served as General Counsel of the Consumer Group at Johnson & Johnson.

Her leadership and impact have been recognized across the legal and business communities. Black Enterprise named Ralls-Morrison among the most powerful women in corporate America, and the Financial Times recognized her as one of the world's top innovative general counsel. Under her leadership, McDonald's was named the 2022 Best Legal Department by Corporate Counsel.

Ralls-Morrison serves on the Board of Directors of DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. and the Economic Club of Chicago. She is also a Founding Member of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund, which was created to provide funding and support for Black, Latino, and Indigenous entrepreneurs, innovators, and nonprofit organizations.

She earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Wesleyan University.

40 YEARS OF POWER, PURPOSE & POSSIBILITY

The Magic is Us

For four decades, the NBA Commercial Law Section has brought together leaders whose service, vision and influence continue to shape the profession and create possibilities for those who follow.