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New ACC General Counsel Not Deterred by Tourette's

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on August 02, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Though James A. Merklinger has had to live with Tourette's Syndrome for most of his life, he hasn't let the discrimination or the neurological disorder dissuade him from success.

In fact, the graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law has just been appointed to the posts of Vice President and General Counsel for the Association of Corporate Counsel.

He has worked with the organization in some capacity since 1995.

Prior to joining the ACC, Merklinger served as corporate counsel for DIAD, Inc., where he advised the company on a wide range of issues. Since then, he has served as ACC's Director of Large Law Programs, Deputy General Counsel, Vice President of Legal Resources, and Director of Legal Resources.

As the new General Counsel and Vice President, he is responsible for representing the organization in outside endeavors, developing educational resources ,and spearheading studies into legal trends.

Influenced by the discrimination he faced as a child, when he's not carrying out his duties at the ACC, the ABA Journal reports that Merklinger spends much of his time taking on pro bono cases and engaging in legislative advocacy in the areas of immigration and disability law.

He lobbied Congress to include Tourette's Syndrome in the Children's Health Act of 2000, has testified before a Congressional panel, and serves on the board of directors of the Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington, D.C.

If his dedication to both the Association of Corporate Counsel and the basic rights of disadvantaged communities is any indication, James A. Merklinger appears to have been a good choice for his new positions.

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