Innovative Legal Leadership

Benoit Balmary comes from a long line of lawyers dating back 200 years. So, you could argue that he was simply making the safe choice by going into law. He jokingly says as much. But there was a deeper pull as well: a basic belief in the nobility of law and the idea that it single-handedly separates us from chaos. Of course, as Group General Counsel at Michelin, Benoit is dealing with a far different environment than his ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Given the rapid rate of change, the challenge for today’s in-house legal teams is not to maintain the status quo, but to adapt to the rapid evolution of the legal environment. We discuss: - Transforming a siloed legal organization into a hyper collaborative global team - Creating an ambassador between the legal team and the business - Michelin’s framework for managing law firm relationships - Change management within a 130-year-old company Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Terry Theologides, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Fannie Mae, attributes much of his success to his youthful impatience. It was youthful impatience that led him to move in-house as a fourth year at Wynn International. It was also youthful impatience that gave him the confidence to go after his first GC role at New Century Financial Corporation after only two years on the job. Were there some gaps in knowledge and expertise early on? In retrospect, yes. But what he did have was a healthy respect for adhering to a good process and an uncanny ability to soak up new knowledge like a sponge. Today, this focus is on promoting affordable, equitable homeownership for Americans in areas that have been traditionally underserved and modernizing the legal function. We discuss: - The appeal and indispensable quality of in-house work - Strategies for leading a team through challenging periods - Bringing discipline to an organization without disrupting the existing quality of work - The exciting upcoming transformation in the way law is done Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

At an early age, Meredith Fuchs realized that if you understood the law, you could make a positive impact on society The roots of this view can be traced back to an enduring love for the book, To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s why she places so much emphasis on mission and people in her career. That drive to make a difference led her to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where she was a part of the startup team, it led her to CapitalOne where she set out to change banking for good, and it’s what led her to her current position, as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Plaid, a company that aims to unlock financial freedom for everyone. We discuss:  - The process of building a legal team at the CFPB  - How to determine priorities at a new company  - The benefit of embedding lawyers in product groups  - Important attributes in new legal hires Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Karyn Polak views her career as a series of ever expanding circles. After starting out in corporate finance and capital markets, she progressively expanded her circle into other skill sets, other types of companies, and other challenges. This devotion to constant growth stems from a personal belief: Once you’ve been in a seat for a little while, that’s when it’s time to go outside your comfort zone. It’s that growth mindset that has enabled her to flourish as SVP, General Counsel and Secretary at Transamerica, and it’s the reason why she gives her team ongoing opportunities to expand beyond their circles as well. In this episode, we discuss: - The importance of stepping outside your comfort zone - Overcoming the challenges of a distributed workforce - Three ingredients for a collaborative, high-performing team - How diverse perspectives lead to deeper context Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What drew Paul Krause to the legal profession? Logic games and puzzles. It makes complete sense for someone who, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t view legal work as adversarial. A lawyer's job, according to Paul, is all about understanding legal concepts, understanding your audience, and putting those disparate puzzle pieces together in a way that makes efficient decision-making possible for the business. That’s what his in-house career has been all about, starting as a Senior Counsel at ArcelorMittal, and presently, as Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer at Harley-Davidson. We discuss: - His meteoric rise within Harley Davidson - Prizing legal efficiency from outside counsels - The biggest challenges facing in-house legal departments moving forward - Why it’s important to make legal accessible Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Between undergrad and law school, Karen Gally, Vice President and General Counsel of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies, wanted to be absolutely sure a legal career was right for her. So, for a time, she pursued another profession. That brief spell in corporate communications and public policy introduced her to the world of healthcare—and that ultimately led to a lifelong passion for health law. During her tenure as GC, she has taken an active role in diversity and inclusion initiatives. She firmly believes that diversity is key to providing incomparable legal services, and with how complicated the industry is, diverse talent, diverse experiences, and diverse opinions are the only way to keep up with a changing world. We discuss: - The challenges of navigating legal matters with an alliance company - Otsuka’s award-winning Diversity Accelerator Program - The benefits of legal design thinking - Volunteering on the Board of the Alliance of Aging Research Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

After only 6 months at Tenneco, and at the tender age of 28, Brandon Smith found himself advising the CEO on how to navigate the company through bankruptcy. For Brandon, that was nothing new. In fact, he’s made a career out of capitalizing on opportunities to take on responsibilities beyond what is typically given to someone of his age and experience level. That trajectory of accelerated growth started when he was at Kirkland & Ellis and has continued through to his current position as Executive Vice President & General Counsel at CHS. His is a story about the stars aligning—that is true. But it’s also a story about leaning in during a time of crisis and stepping forward while others back away. In this episode, we discuss: - An early career opportunity concerning bankruptcy law - Two attributes aspiring GCs should focus on - How a promise of making a difference in rural America drew him to CHS - How he approaches talent development and diversity and inclusion Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Regina Jones, Chief Legal Officer at Baker Hughes, witnessed, firsthand, the value of integrity early on in her career. With a front-row seat to the Enron scandal, she learned that good intentions mean little if you leave your moral compass at the door. Since then, integrity and transparency have become hallmarks of her leadership style, along with an unwavering commitment to community and collaboration, and a willingness to embrace new technology and new ways of doing things. According to Regina, that’s the obligation of the general counsel: to be the moral compass of the company. In the modern world, it is the GC’s responsibility to lead from the front. We discuss: - Why technological acumen is a major differentiator in law - The promising potential of legal technology and how to drive adoption - How the Enron debacle taught Regina the importance of integrity - How the GC role will evolve Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? JusHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Today’s guest, Jennifer Wuamett, takes that popular quote one step further: You also need to try out different selections before you recognize which one you like best. Indeed, her life bears that out. As a child, she aspired to be a librarian. In college, it was a biomedical illustrator. After starting down the path of a Ph.D. program in biochemistry, she eventually switched over to law, where she discovered a passion for dealmaking and negotiation—and that’s how the scientist and artist turned lawyer. Today, the self-described “deal junkie” is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary for NXP Semiconductors. In this episode, we discuss: - Lessons from unifying two legal departments in a merger - How the scope of work for GCs has grown - Important areas to focus on for aspiring GCs - Providing the team with lateral opportunities to promote engagement - Hiring using a value-based framework Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

It was clear to Katie Barrett from an early age that she was destined for a career in law. Indeed, early — and frequent — arguments with her parents clearly proved she had a knack for the art of persuasion. Her early practice was focused on litigation — both in private practice, and subsequently, in-house with Anheuser-Busch InBev — and she credits that focus with creating valuable connections across the organization and providing a master class on how a business is run. Today, as Global General Counsel, she cultivates a culture of diversity and support so that those with an aptitude for collaboration can advance and thrive within the organization. In this episode, we discuss: - Why early experience with litigation is great in a legal career - How to develop a global team of experts - Why collaboration is such an important leadership skill - Fostering a culture of female leadership Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.