CHICAGO, IL – April 30, 2025

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. (QPWB) is proud to announce that Kristopher Keys, Partner in the firm’s Chicago Hub and Co-Chair of the Business Risk Division, recently served as a featured panelist at PLI’s Compliance & Ethics Essentials 2025, a nationally recognized program designed to equip legal and compliance professionals with practical tools for building and strengthening effective corporate compliance programs. Hosted by the Practising Law Institute (PLI), the two-day program brings together leading voices from law, government, and industry to explore current best practices, regulatory expectations, and risk mitigation strategies in today’s demanding compliance environment.

Mr. Keys joined an esteemed panel, alongside other distinguished attorneys, for the session titled: “Compliance Board Oversight and Program Structure: Program Authority and Independence.” Their session focused on effective compliance program structures, the responsibilities of board members in overseeing those programs, and the positioning of chief compliance officers within organizations. The panelists shared leading practices in board oversight, discussed the importance of program authority, independence and resources, and provided strategies to empower compliance professionals across the enterprise.

The panel drew heavily from the DOJ’s 2024 Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs, using it as a guiding framework to illustrate how organizations can align internal structures with federal expectations.

Drawing from his extensive background in the energy sector and corporate governance, Mr. Keys shared strategic insights on:

• Building and sustaining independent compliance functions
  
• Effectively positioning chief compliance officers within an organization
  
• Leveraging the DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs to support program effectiveness
  
• Empowering boards and executive leadership to take ownership of compliance oversight.
  

The panel drew over 750 virtual attendees from around the nation and more than 40 in-person participants, underscoring the critical relevance of the topic within today’s compliance landscape.

About Kristopher Keys

Mr. Keys is a seasoned compliance and ethics professional with deep experience in corporate governance, regulatory strategy, and enterprise risk management. As a Partner in QPWB’s Chicago office, he brings industry-leading insights to clients across business sectors, ensuring regulatory alignment and fostering cultures of accountability and transparency.

About QPWB

 Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. is the largest minority and women-owned law firm in the United States. With 48 offices across the country and over 100 practice areas, QPWB provides comprehensive litigation, regulatory, and corporate representation to clients across a wide range of industries.