Association of Corporate Counsel – St. Louis Chapter Wins Global Award for 2026 Best Innovative Programmi

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:

• 2023 ("Artful Observation with a Diversity Lens"): Hosted at the Saint Louis Art Museum in partnership with Dr. Cathleen Fleck of Saint Louis University, this interactive program used visual art analysis to enhance attorneys' observational awareness, foster empathy, and facilitate conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and implicit bias.
• 2025 ("Checkmate!: How Chess Strategy Can Make You a Better Litigator"): Presented in partnership with the World Chess Hall of Fame, this four-part series included chess lessons taught by the Grand Master in Residence and culminated in a CLE event titled "Defending the King in a Black and White World" that explored how jury polarization influences verdicts, featuring a live blitz match by a Grandmaster.

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:

• Chapter of the Year: 2012, 2015
• Gold Chapter of Distinction Designation: 2018–2025
• Best Membership Strategy Award: 2018
• Best Diversity Initiative Award: 2020, 2022, 2024
• Best Partnership Program Award: 2023
• Innovative Programming Effort Award: 2023, 2025, 2026

To learn more, please visit https://www.acc.com/chapters-networks/chapters/st-louis.