Schedule

The 2025 Garrett Institute is a two-day, in-person conference hosted by Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. All sessions are in Central Daylight Time. Additional session details coming soon. Session times and speakers are subject to change.

 Agenda PDF

Thursday, October 9, 2025

7:45 a.m. - Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45–9 a.m. - Welcome and Overview

Jodi Simala, Institute Chair, Mayer Brown LLP, Chicago

9–9:30 a.m. - State of the Markets*

Presenter
Kristen Rossi, Global Head of Consumer Retail Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley, Chicago

9:35–10:35 a.m. - The Impact of the Current Administration*

Session Chair
Daniel Davis, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Washington, DC

Panelists
Heather Russell, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, TransUnion LLC, Chicago
Edward Siskel, Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington, DC
Chelsi Tryon, Director of ESG, Toppan Merill, Phoenix
Additional panelist to be announced

10:35–11 a.m. - Break

11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. - Delaware Mock Argument - When M&A Goes Bad + A Conversation with Vice Chancellor Laster*

Presiding
Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster, Delaware Court of Chancery, Wilmington, DE

Commentator
Mike Allen, Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Wilmington, DE

Litigators
Nicholas Mozal, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, Wilmington, DE
Lakshmi Muthu, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP, Wilmington, DE

12:15–1:35 p.m. - Lunch (Provided)

1:35–2:35 p.m. - Current Issues and Trends in M&A*

Session Chair
Jenna Levine, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, New York City

Panelists
Melissa Brown, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, AeroVironment, Los Angeles
William Rowe, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Chicago
Additional panelist to be announced

2:40–3:40 p.m. - Corporate Law Developments*

Session Chair
Kristen Seeger, Sidley Austin LLP, Chicago

Panelists
Christopher Barbcock, Foley & Lardner LLP, Dallas
A. Thompson Bayliss, Abrams & Bayliss LLP, Wilmington, DE
Amy Simmerman, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Wilmington, DE

3:40–4 p.m. - Break

4–5 p.m. - Shareholder Activism*

Session Chair
Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York City

Panelists
James Langston, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, New York City
Dave Rosewater, Global Head of Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense, Morgan Stanley, New York City
Matthew Sherman, President, Joele Frank, New York City

5–6 p.m. - Reception
Sponsored by: FGS Global

*Session will be available on demand for 30 days following the live Institute


Friday, October 10, 2025

7:45 a.m. - Continental Breakfast

8:30–9:30 a.m. - SEC Rulemaking & Disclosure Developments

Session Co-Chairs
Era Anagnosti, DLA Piper LLP (US), Washington, DC
Julie Rizzo, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh, NC

Panelists
Hagen Ganem, Vice President, Legal - Corporate and M&A, ServiceNow, Inc., Santa Clara, CA
Additional panelist to be announced

9:35–10:35 a.m. - Enforcement Trends and Priorities

Session Chair
Nader Salehi, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Washington, DC

Panelists
Ariella Guardi, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC, Chicago
Additional panelist to be announced

10:35–10:55 a.m. - Break

10:55–11:55 a.m. - Supreme Court Updates

Session Chair
Charlotte Taylor, Jones Day, Washington, DC

Panelists
Sarah Harrington, Covington & Burling LLP, Washington, DC
Paul Alessio Mezzina, King & Spalding LLP, Washington, DC
Additional panelist to be announced

11:55 a.m.–12:15 p.m. - Boxed Lunch Pickup

12:15–1 p.m. - Navigating Sudden CEO Transitions

Session Chair
Courtney Tygesson, Cooley LLP, Chicago

Panelists
Dorothy Capers, General Counsel, C.H. Robinson, Minneapolis
Tom Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, H/Advisors Abernathy, New York City
Christine Long, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Indianapolis

1:05–1:50 p.m. - Managing through Missing Guidance Situations

Session Chair
Eric Orsic, McDermott, Will & Emery LLP, Chicago

Panelists
Joey Graves, Managing Director and Chief Corporate Counsel, CME Group Inc., Chicago
Jonathan Spitzer, Vice President of Investor Relations, Adtalem Global Education, Chicago
Jennifer Zepralka, Mayer Brown, Washington, DC

1:50–2 p.m. - Break

2–3 p.m. - Attorney Well-Being/Mental Health

Session Chair
Dr. Diana Uchiyama, Executive Director, Illinois Lawyers' Assistance Program, Chicago

Panelists
To be announced

3 p.m. - Institute Concludes