St. Louis (Oct. 8, 2026) — The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – St. Louis Chapter has been honored with the 2026 Best Innovative Programming Award for mid-sized chapters from the ACC global association for its 2025 martial arts and strategy program. The award recognizes the chapter's ongoing commitment to delivering creative, hands-on, and highly engaging professional development for its members.
The winning program, titled "Sun Tzu to Bruce Lee – Lessons for Corporate Counsel," took place Dec. 11, 2025, at the St. Louis Martial Arts Academy in Maryland Heights, MO. Presented in partnership with Chris Hesse, Founding Member and Managing Partner of The Hesse Group, LLC (a 2025 Chapter Silver Sponsor), the initiative applied the strategic philosophies of Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do to modern in-house legal practice.
The interactive session combined legal strategy with physical self-defense concepts and wellness techniques. Participants explored core tenets such as Sun Tzu's "Know your terrain" and Bruce Lee's "Absorb what is useful" through discussion and hands-on Filipino Martial Arts stick drills. The program demonstrated how principles of adaptability, efficiency, and conflict avoidance apply directly to contract negotiations, legal risk management, and internal client advocacy.
"This program introduced a novel concept incorporating philosophy, martial arts, wellness, and self-defense into in-house counsel professional development," said Jay Repaso, who organized the program and served as the 2025 Chapter President and currently serves as Senior Counsel, Corporate Security, with Mastercard International Incorporated.
"Its impact extends well beyond the initial event, building personal confidence and a greater sense of safety—benefits that extend beyond the professional setting," added Repaso.
This marks the third time the Chapter has received the global award for innovative programming. Previous award-winning programs include:
About the Association of Corporate Counsel – St. Louis Chapter
The Association of Corporate Counsel - St. Louis Chapter, the premier bar association for in-house counsel, was founded in 1987. The Chapter has more than 650 members who represent over 175 organizations. The St. Louis Chapter's commitment to its members and community has earned it an impressive list of accolades as a leader in the global network of chapters:
To learn more, please visit https://www.acc.com/chapters-networks/chapters/st-louis.
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