<div dir="ltr">I agree with Becky, Eberhard, Phil, Paul and David, for all their reasons and more. If ICANN legal had all the expertise necessary, it would be a bad idea, due to lack of independence, ethical obligations to their client, etc. And even if they are reasonably well-informed on California non-profit law, that is necessary but not sufficient for the task at hand. Someone with considerable expertise and experience in corporate governance (especially non-profit) and corporate structuring in a variety of contexts (a "big brain," so to speak) is also necessary.<div><br></div><div>(Notably, when ICANN has needed significant advice in this area in the past, it is my impression that they have turned to the international mega firm of Jones Day (the biggest thing to come out of Cleveland, Ohio since <br><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div>Greg Shatan</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(23,54,93)"><font>Gregory S. Shatan</font></span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(23,54,93)"> </span></b></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><font color="#20124d">Partner</font></span><span style="font-weight:bold;font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(23,54,93)"> |</span><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(23,54,93)"> </span></b><b style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(192,80,77)">Abelman Frayne & Schwab</span></b></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-size:12pt"></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(23,54,93)">666 Third Avenue </span></b><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Symbol;color:rgb(23,54,93)">|</span></b><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(23,54,93)"> New York, NY 10017-5621</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy">Direct</span></b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy"> </span><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a value="+12128859253" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">212-885-9253</a> <b>| </b></span><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy">Main</span></b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy"> </span><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a value="+12129499022" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">212-949-9022</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy">Fax</span></b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy"> </span><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a value="+12129499190" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">212-949-9190</a> <b>|</b> </span><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy">Cell </span></b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a value="+19178166428" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">917-816-6428</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><i><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy"><a href="mailto:gsshatan@lawabel.com" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">gsshatan@lawabel.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></i></b></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><font>ICANN-related: <a href="mailto:gregshatanipc@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregshatanipc@gmail.com</a> </font></b></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><i><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:navy"><a href="http://www.lawabel.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">www.lawabel.com</a></span></i></b></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 9:59 AM, Dr Eberhard Lisse <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:el@lisse.na" target="_blank">el@lisse.na</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Eric,<br>
<br>
I was not looking at it from that perspective, but Becky make sense,<br>
ie if we get an opinion that is contrary to what ICANN has<br>
previously asserted in court it would put ICANN in a difficult<br>
position.<br>
<br>
Almost as much as their Counsel estopping ICANN on anything not yet<br>
litigated.<br>
<br>
<br>
So, we need "unconflicted" Counsel.<br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
el<br>
</font></span><span class=""><br>
On 2015-01-22 16:49, Burr, Becky wrote:<br>
> Eric, I have great respect for the ICANN legal staff, but I¹m not<br>
> aware that anyone on staff possesses legal expertise on<br>
> international law and/or California not-for-profit law. More that<br>
> that, we know that ICANN has asserted various limitations on some<br>
> of the accountability mechanisms based on the ³fiduciary duty²<br>
> of Board members to the corporation. Whether the ideas in<br>
> question are good or bad, there is some skepticism - and a<br>
> conclusion by the Berkman Center during the first ATRT review that<br>
> additional legal research was needed, about the legal positions<br>
> asserted by ICANN¹s legal staff and its outside counsel. Given<br>
> the above, and ethical obligation of counsel to defend the views<br>
> of its client vigorously, I disagree with your view that ICANN¹s<br>
> counsel is well situated to provide the legal analysis we need.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> J. Beckwith Burr<br>
<br>
</span>[...]<br>
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