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Leslie Thornton, the recently retired senior vice president and merger transition counsel for WGL Holdings and Washington Gas Light Company, has had the same mandates as most high-profile general counsel. She has navigated and managed major litigation, employment and labor law matters, supported the board of directors, and dealt with complex cybersecurity issues and data protection, all while being cognizant of what that means in the energy industry.

Prior to law school, I worked as a server in a restaurant. I’ve often said that my experiences back then were particularly valuable in forming my worldview; their relevance certainly rushed back to the fore when I began in-house practice in a department of one.

The legal profession has experienced several years of upheaval and disruption. General counsel are now optimizing their internal service delivery model in the same way that they have done with their external ones.

Naturally, patents figure prominently into the business strategy, and Haas’ legal department involves itself more and more in strategic discussions to be able to focus on patents that deliver business solutions.

According to Spitzer, there are four distinct levels of happiness that both individuals and organizations must understand to assist them in pursuing excellence.

For a legal-minded numbers guy like Alasdair Moodie, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s vice president and general counsel of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), he knew that the chances of receiving the honour were slim. But for the multiple colleagues and peers who nominated him, it wasn’t a surprise when he did.

Rose Marie Glazer, vice president, deputy general counsel, and corporate secretary of American International Group (AIG), has some advice for in-house counsel who may not always be invited to executive table: invite yourself. And for those who aspire to advanced roles within (or outside of) the legal department, she says to have a plan, but to also embrace the twists and turns that life will undoubtedly throw your way.

Participating on panels of fellow legal professionals is another superb way to share what you’ve learned, exchange experiences with your peers, and increase your visibility among your professional contacts. Before seeking to become a serial panelist, however, you should consider taking a number of steps to ensure that you are successful in this effort.

Given the magnitude of the recent jurisdictional changes, all in-house business and litigation counsel — in corporations large and small, foreign and domestic — can benefit from learning about the new jurisdictional world the Court has created, why it is important, and what future developments might be in store.

Today, Allison Despard is the general counsel of labor and employment in the Asia Pacific region for Honeywell International, Inc., an American conglomerate that produces all kinds of products — from home thermostats to fluorine chemicals to turbo engines — and sells them to individuals, governments, and large corporations.

Given the significant financial benefits tempting whistleblowers, and the knowledge that a whistleblower could thwart the benefits of cooperation, companies are increasingly incentivized to self-report violations of the law.

Not having a government investigation end in a tragedy is largely contingent on planning, preparing, and executing a plan of action. In-house and outside counsel must have a cohesive objective and should work together to set the stage well before the investigators appear on the scene.

The gray areas, and navigating through them, are what Patrick Kong finds most interesting about his job. As general counsel and head of compliance for Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded insurer, he is constantly looking for gray areas and figuring out the best way forward.

When an organization is blind to where its data resides and what is in it, it becomes impossible both to meet preservation obligations and comply with GDPR’s guidelines to protect and delete sensitive data. By understanding the full scope of the data, counsel can begin to assess the legal requirements involved with it.

When Ellis joined CP in 2015, he was told that the world he was about enter was fast-paced, exciting, and, most importantly, efficient. Under Harrison’s leadership, the company’s corporate culture prioritized answering to its shareholders, cutting extraneous clutter, and paving a clear pathway to success.

Basketball played a role for Brent Irvin, vice president, and general counsel at Tencent Holdings Limited, giving him an opportunity to get his first glimpse of China.

==This article will identify some of the key points employers must bear in mind while conducting internal investigations in Mexico.

"People hear the word ‘boards’ and they make many assumptions. Many of them are simply false,” says Aileen Casanave, deputy general counsel at Jiff, Inc.

Someone once described a traditional legal career as a predictable, well-known path that generations of lawyers take. A deviation from it is frowned upon and can be legal career suicide. Thus, many lawyers miss all the scenic routes!

The Court of Justice of the EU recently ruled that the current US-EU Safe Harbor Certification Program is no longer a valid method for ensuring adequate privacy protection of data transfers between the United States and the European Union.

Why should lawyers consider joining startups? “Because it’s hair-raising fun! You feel like you’re on the precipice of a cliff and guzzling from the fire hose most of the time,” Suzy Fulton, vice president of operations and general counsel at Appspace, colorfully answers.

Silicon Valley has its own undeniably unique culture, immortalized in the media as innovation-driven and fast-paced.

Becoming an executive at a high-powered company is a major achievement requiring an “eyes wide open” approach to your career.

Writing the weekly ACC Docket column has been an incredibly rewarding experience in many ways.

Linda Mayer has served as an executive or board member with several privately-owned companies. Mayer has a deep understanding of consumer behavior and how to strategize to meet market demand.

As I have discussed in numerous posts, I love startups. They are vibrant places, full of learning and growth opportunities. Startups challenge everyone involved — including those in the legal department.

David Hirschfield, legal director for Galliard Homes in the United Kingdom (London’s largest private housebuilder), and recently honored as a Rising Star at the European Counsel Awards 2016, comes from a family of lawyers, and says he was exposed to legal discussions from an early age.

A globalized economy demands business leaders with an international mindset. At ACC’s Global General Counsel Summit, in-house leaders will have the opportunity to learn from their peers and make cross-border connections.

As the senior labor relations, compliance, and business principle manager for Nestlé in Portugal, Joana Guerra is constantly called upon to ensure company compliance with changing labor standards.

By any account, Chris Murphy Ives, the vice president and deputy general counsel for HP, is a successful lawyer. There’s a chance he could have been an equally successful actor.