Looking for an in-house counsel job? Wondering what companies look for when hiring legal professionals? Well, this episode is for you. Bruce Byrd, General Counsel for cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks, talks about what he looks for when he is hiring for his legal team.
Like many in-house attorneys, Bruce worked a few years at a law firm and then moved in-house when he took his first corporate legal job with the AT&T legal team. He climbed the ladder and ultimately ended up with the top job as Chief Legal Officer.
Earlier this year, he moved to Palo Alto Networks and took his current role as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
Bruce’s 20+ years as corporate counsel has afforded him great insight about landing an in-house job. Bruce says that he looks for a few attributes when interviewing attorneys for his company:
- Curiosity
- An understanding of what drives the company's business (especially financial aspects)
- Business Development Skills (which is really understanding what the clients/business people need)
- Being a good listener
- Adaptability and Flexibility
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