​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​THE BOURNE FIRM

​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Experienced on-demand general counsel for small to mid-sized companies not yet ready for full-time general counsel. 

The following are examples of THE BOURNE FIRM'S experience with respect to compliance and governance and how that experience could benefit you:

• ​​​Conceived cost-effective compliance and governance program for private company that practically addressed key risks; focused limited resources on the critical issues with the highest likelihood, and greatest magnitude, of risk; and reduced overall legal compliance and governance costs by about 48%.
  
• Crafted corporate governance program for new public company and devised extensive risk management strategy with respect to, among other matters, contracts, securities, registrations, leases, insurance and intellectual property. 
  
• Chaired corporate governance committees responsible for evaluating and managing risks, delivering strategic and tactical direction for governance programs and overseeing common-sense implementation of governance initiatives.
  
• Drafted charters for a multitude of corporate governance committees, including audit committee, compensation committee, compliance committee, disclosure and ethics committee, privacy and security subcommittee, and numerous cross-functional teams and initiatives, including internal audit function and team composed of senior leaders.
  
• Drafted, reviewed, and advised with respect to a broad spectrum of policies and procedures to reduce risk, improve efficiency and enhance results.
  
• Reviewed and advised regarding internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures and entity level controls.
  
• Managed internal audit function, including devising, refining and obtaining approval for work plans describing actions, deadlines and accountabilities, and managing the internal audit function to those plans.
  
• Developed and implemented compliance audits, including master procedures for the integration of audits and elimination of duplicative and unnecessary audit work.
  
• Reviewed and advised with respect to reports of whistleblowers; conducted, participated in and counseled concerning complex investigations of the allegations contained in those reports; and provided guidance regarding required remedial action resulting from findings of investigations.
  
• Analyzed, prepared and presented key compliance issues to quarterly meetings of senior leadership team responsible for addressing these issues and monitored and managed actions necessary to address those issues. 
  
• Provided extensive guidance with respect to conflicts of interest, including personal conflicts of interest and organizational conflicts of interest; drafted policies for conflicts of interest; crafted representations and warranties and certifications confirming the absence of conflicts of interest; and devised pragmatic strategies for overcoming conflicts of interest.
  
• Advised regarding a wide array of other compliance issues, including those arising under laws, rules and regulations relating to securities, corporations, banking, loans, collateral, derivatives, hedging, foreign exchange transactions, commercial paper, recoupment, dividends, options, restricted stock units, investments, disclosures, marketing and advertising, labeling, intellectual property, trade secrets, licensing, electronic transactions, privacy, security, healthcare, free speech, defamation, governments, foreign corrupt practices, antitrust, employment, non-compete agreements, non-solicitation provisions, benefits, 401(k) plans, deferred compensation, pensions, records, minority business enterprises, grants, insurance, contracts, taxes, liquor, unclaimed property, environmental, leases, restrictive covenants and historic preservation.