Founded as the THAI Corporate Counsel Association (THAI-CCA) on 23rd February 2023, the THAI-CCA is Thailand’s first formal corporate counsel association. The association was established with missions to develop and promote knowledge, practical experience, legal innovation, best practices, career and professional development, legal industry trends, and legal profession development through education, networking, and community initiatives.
According to our initial operating plan as a non-profit professional organization, the THAI-CCA’s missions will be categorized into three pillars:
- The Academy: To upskill the capabilities of in-house lawyers by organizing educational, thought leadership, and professional development seminars;
- The Network: To bring all in-house lawyers based in Thailand together and connect them with a wider network of in-house lawyers from across ASEAN, and to promote friendly and supportive relationships both at personal and organizational levels; and
- The Community: To promote professional quality and advance the highest ethical standards governing the practice of law in a corporate setting, to share career opportunities and develop the next generation of in-house lawyers, and to build a collaborative in-house legal community.
During the set-up phase, Sahachai “Jack” Wibuloutai and Thitiwat “Beam” Wisarath will be acting as Co-Presidents, managing the THAI-CCA together with twelve other founding members i.e., Atipong Chittchang, Ard Sakuntanakalap, Chitanong Poomipark, Maprang Sombatthai, Natchapon Padungkittimal, Pajaree Thongvanit, Pakawat Phitakchutidet, Pavaratch Visaikul, Rugeradh Tungsupakul, Sayam Siwarapornskul, Thitipon Mahem and Visitsak Arunsuratpakdee.
The establishment of the THAI-CCA has been positively received by our legal community, with staunch support from leading law firms as sponsors and knowledge partners, namely Chandler MHM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Kudun & Partners, and Tilleke & Gibbins. We also appreciate the warm welcome by corporate counsel alliances in the region, including the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA) and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), who will help guide us through the journey of community formalization and participation in regional and global corporate counsel alliances.
Whilst there are many steps required for setting up the THAI-CCA, we plan to organize a few major events this year to bring Thai in-house lawyers together, promote awareness of our association among other legal communities, and keep up with regional and global trends. In collaboration with law firms, knowledge partners, and law schools in Thailand, we also plan to organize an annual law conference, seminars, and soft-skill training sessions for in-house lawyers. Some activities will also be extended to law students and recent graduates who wish to pursue a career in the corporate counsel profession.
The THAI-CCA’s official launch is set to debut on 22nd June 2023 at the inaugural GC Powerlist Thailand, organized in collaboration with The Legal 500. This internationally renowned accolade will recognize the importance of the Thai legal market as the third largest legal community in the Asia Pacific region and the nation’s most influential and innovative corporate counsel who drive the legal business forward.
A message to all in-house lawyers based in Thailand: we would like to invite you to register for THAI-CCA membership today to get full access to our member-only activities. The THAI-CCA does not plan to collect any membership fees for the time being—at least for the next few years—as we continue to study operating models, membership benefits, sponsorship programs and what would work best for the Thai corporate counsel profession. The THAI-CCA is expected to be ready to operate as an incorporated professional organization by 2026.
Our objective for the immediate future is to bring all GCs and corporate counsel based in Thailand together. The THAI-CCA will not only be a voice of our in-house legal profession but also an ear to actively listen to our fellow corporate counsels, discuss issues we are facing, and solve those issues together. As the role of corporate counsel continues to evolve, the THAI-CCA aspires to be a ‘community of solvers’ where members work together in innovative ways to solve important problems and challenges facing our businesses and our society.
Sahachai Wibuloutai
Founder, The THAI Corporate Counsel Association
June 1, 2023
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Commentary from Sponsors:
“We are delighted to support this important development in the Thai legal market. We believe that the THAI-CCA will make a significant contribution to the development of in-house legal professionals to serve Thai society and build stronger connections both within the legal community in Thailand and Southeast Asia.” – Jessada Sawatdipong, Co-Managing Partner, Chandler MHM
“I am gratified to see the Thai legal community moving towards this new phase of collaboration. The THAI-CCA will bring about synergies that enables cooperation, partnership, networking, knowledge sharing and much more. HSF is pleased to be a supporter and a part of the collaboration taking place in Thailand’s legal footprint. I look forward to working on many upcoming projects in the near future.” – Warathorn Wongsawangsiri, Managing Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Thailand
“The establishment of THAI-CCA marks a momentous milestone for in-house legal professionals, who are increasingly playing critical roles amidst growing regulatory demands. This groundbreaking initiative will not only empower them as strategic partners for businesses but also foster a more collaborative and unified legal community, both in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia. We are honored to actively contribute to this transformative endeavor, confident that together, we will achieve unprecedented success in the legal industry.” – Kudun Sukhumananda, Founding Partner, Kudun & Partners
“Tilleke & Gibbins is thrilled to be a sponsor and knowledge partner supporting the growth of Thailand’s first formal corporate counsel association. As a firm, we are committed to promoting knowledge, best practices, and professional development in the legal industry, and the THAI-CCA’s three pillars of education, networking, and community initiatives align closely with our aims. We look forward to continuing our contributions to the THAI-CCA as it builds a collaborative in-house legal community in Thailand.” – Tiziana Sucharitkul, Managing Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins
