NAPPA's 2019 Legal Education Conference
Ashley Dunning and Peter Mixon spoke during The National Association of Public Pension Attorneys' 2019 Legal Education Conference in San Diego June 25-28, 2019.
On June 25th, Peter moderated "Introduction to NAPPA." New Member Education Committee members were asked to provide their perspectives on NAPPA, the Summer and Winter Conferences, and the networking/educational opportunities the organization provides. This was an informal session introducing the organization to new members who are just entering the public pension world.
Peter also moderated "General Session: Public Pension Overview (Including Actuaries)." This session presented a high-level overview of public pensions—as trust funds, investors, government agencies, and benefits providers. The session included a discussion of terminology and concepts key to practicing in the public pension area as well as an overview of actuarial practices and pension plan funding.
On June 26th, Ashley moderated "General Session: Public Retirement Board Governance and the Role of the Dissenter(s) on the Board." This session discussed the role of dissent on public retirement boards and how board members may productively, or destructively, engage with their co-fiduciaries on the board and with counsel of topics to which they disagree. The panel of General Counsel discussed their experiences on this topic and provided strategies for engaging in constructive conflict.
Additionally, Yuliya Oryol organized a panel on Trends, Challenges, Fiduciary Considerations, and Market Impact of ESG Investing. The panel considered whether institutional investors should integrate ESG factors into their investment analysis and decision-making process. The panel also addressed the trends in the financial industry among both asset owners and managers towards increasingly treating ESG investing as part of their fiduciary duties. Given there is an undeniable market demand for responsible investing, the panel considered whether there is a better way to increase portfolio returns and manage risk.