Foley and Lardner LLP will present its 30th Annual Law of Product Distribution & Franchise Seminar as a webinar titled “Repairing Weak Links in the Supply Chain.” The online program will take place October 7 and 20, and November 3.
For manufacturers and franchisors alike, one of many adverse effects on their economic health during the COVID-19 pandemic has been disruption of the global supply chain. The law of product distribution and franchise continues to be of vital importance. But recent (and current) events suggest a need for new legal strategies to keep up with a different law—the law of supply and demand. Without a reliable supply of components and raw materials to make their products, manufacturers cannot keep up with consumer demand. Getting the finished products to market presents different challenges. For many manufacturers and franchisors, their traditional branded distribution systems have been severely tested by the pandemic regardless of whether their preferred method of distribution has been to “go direct,” rely upon independent dealers, distributors, or licensees, or some combination thereof.
To help its clients overcome these challenges, with the objective of having distribution systems that are stronger than they ever were pre-pandemic, Foley’s 30th Annual Law of Product Distribution & Franchise Seminar will therefore focus even more on the supply chain than we traditionally have. The format will also not be live sessions of the type that it has hosted in various Foley offices around the country every year since 1992, except 2020. Instead, the sessions will be virtual—in part to avoid the potential for any last-minute disruptions of our own supply chain. The web-based platform will, however, afford more opportunities for interaction among speakers and attendees than were available in our prior webinars.
Among the speakers this year will be Foley litigation partner Vanessa L. Miller, chair of the Detroit office’s Litigation Department and a lead of Foley’s Supply Chain Solutions Initiative. She co-chairs the firm’s Coronavirus Task Force and she is a member of the Automotive Industry Team, Manufacturing Industry Team and the firm’s Consumer Law, Finance and Class Action Practice Group. Miller’s practice focuses on a wide array of supply chain disputes, including breach of contract and warranty claims, automotive supply chain issues and maintaining continuity of supply, defending manufacturers against class actions, trade secret misappropriation claims and business torts.
Miller has successfully managed, litigated and tried cases in state and federal courts, as well as handled appellate proceedings. She has experience handling complex international arbitrations in various venues, including the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), American Arbitration Association (AAA), Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services Inc. (JAMS) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Miller also has represented clients in commercial mediations, which have resulted in the early resolution of legal disputes and creative business solutions for parties continuing to do business together.
In addition to her litigation, international arbitration and mediation experience, Miller regularly counsels clients on various commercial contracts, supply chain agreements, supply chain shortages and related negotiations. Miller is the author of the forthcoming executive handbook (to be published in 2021) “Law of the Automotive and Manufacturing Supply Chain: A Handbook for Success.”
Prior to joining Foley, Miller was a law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Duggan, Eastern District of Michigan.
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