Navigating In-House Opportunities as a Litigator ACC Litigation Legal Quick Hit, January 24th 2017
Presented by Sharla Toller, Managing Director, DC IHPG and Krystal Muñiz, Managing Director, DC SPG
Consultant Biography Sharla Toller, Managing Director stoller@mlaglobal.com ӏ 202.292.2880 Sharla C. Toller is a Managing Director in our In-House Practice Group, based in Washington, D.C. She specializes in placing attorneys at all levels within corporate legal departments nationwide, with a focus on the higher education sector and in diversity recruiting. She gives her all to each search she undertakes, only presenting candidates that match the qualifications and cultural fit to her client. Sharla is very active within Major, Lindsey & Africa, co-founding the MLA African American Washington, D.C., Area Networking Dinner series. She is also a member of the firm's Diversity Council. EXPERIENCE Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa, Sharla was a practicing attorney. She began her legal career as a general civil litigator at a mid-sized law firm in Roanoke, Virginia. She went on to practice insurance defense litigation as an associate at Troutman Sanders in Washington, D.C. Sharla serves on the board of the Oliver White Hill Foundation, where she is the co-chair of the summer internship committee. In this role, she has recruited and placed several law school students in summer internships at different civil rights organizations in Washington, D.C. She is also an advocate for diversity and inclusion issues and recently published "The Call to Action Ten Years Later: A Look at the Effects on Retention of Women and Racial Minorities at Law Firms" with the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession ("IILP"). She has spoken on various diversity topics across the country with the IILP and also at the Minority Corporate Counsel Association's annual diversity conference. EDUCATION Howard University School of Law: J.D. Senior Articles Editor, Howard Law Journal Georgetown University: M.P.S. in Human Resource Management, concentration in Diversity and Inclusion University of Virginia: B.A., Government ASSOCIATIONS National Bar Association Oliver White Hill Foundation, Board Member
Consultant Biography Krystal Muñiz, Managing Director kmuniz@mlaglobal.com ӏ 202.292.2884 As a Managing Director in our Solutions Practice Group, Krystal Muñiz works hard to match the best, most highly qualified candidates with law firm and in-house legal opportunities. She focuses on developing long-term relationships with her clients, thereby gaining deep insight into their needs and the cultures they have developed. When selecting candidates for both interim assignments and direct placements, clients rely on her guidance and direction. An active contributor within Major, Lindsey & Africa, Krystal is a member of the Diversity Council and leads an Affinity Group within the Solutions Practice Group. Krystal came to Major, Lindsey & Africa after working at several New York law firms in various capacities. She started her career as a litigation associate of Dewey & LeBoeuf, focusing on securities, insurance and complex litigation. After leaving Dewey, Krystal briefly worked as a temporary attorney at several different firms before arriving at a small maritime company as an in-house attorney. In that position, she oversaw the management of more than 300 litigation cases nationwide. Most recently, she worked as a bankruptcy litigation attorney for Hughes, Hubbard & Reed. Education University of Chicago Law School: J.D. New York University: B.A., Latin American Studies Associations New York State Bar, Active Member DC Hispanic Bar Association, Member
Seeking In-House Litigation Roles In-House Litigation Market Out of the approximately 850 MLA temporary and permanent in-house placements made in 2016, approximately 85 were focused on litigation background and experience Current in-house search examples How legal search firms work Client driven Generally work on an exclusive, retained basis Typically specialized or hard to fill positions
Seeking In-House Litigation Roles Tips and Suggestions for your Job Search Leveraging your own personal and professional network Networking events and associations Local ACC chapters and bar associations (MCCA, HBA, WBA, SABA) LinkedIn and job boards Indeed, Ladders, goinhouse.com Do not rely solely on a recruiter Also, do not necessarily limit yourself to one recruiter
Seeking In-House Litigation Roles Marketing Yourself Best Be open to relocation Tailor your resume to every role If they are seeking a very specific set of litigation skills and you have them, focus on them (i.e., IP litigation, products liability litigation, asbestos and employment litigation) If they are only seeking some litigation skills but are really looking for a broader skillset, to the extent you have those skills or transferable skills, make sure that is apparent Particularly important if you are not working with a recruiter If being general counsel is the goal, make sure you are open to broadening your skillset - that will be the expectation and a necessity for advancing within corporate legal departments Litigation management positions are more frequent To the extent that you have the opportunity to gain that experience or specialize in litigation management, do so.
In-House Litigation Roles General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel Levels GC and DGC Level Typically litigation management is a sub-set of the role Companies are looking for broad experience Industry experience is usually important Specific skillset will depend on industry and key issues affecting the company
In-House Litigation Roles Lower Level Positions Litigation Management as the primary skill-set (positions arise less frequently) Travel typically required for these roles Litigation Management as a sub-set of primary expertise (positions arise more frequently) Prior litigation management experience is not always necessary, but a plus Main objective is depth in core subject matter expertise (i.e., compliance, employment law, IP)
In-House Litigation Roles Typical Necessary Skills Needed (Litigation Management as Primary Skill-Set) Broad commercial litigation experience or expertise in an area (i.e., government contracts, asbestos litigation, employment litigation) Litigation strategy Courtroom experience (first chair trial experience a plus or mandatory) Experience counseling business executives, including C-Suite and Board Management of large case docket Experience at all stages of litigation Budgeting Managing outside counsel Foundational law firm training is usually desired Industry experience Willingness to roll up sleeves and assist with other matters based on business needs
In-House Litigation Roles General Counsel Positions: Some General Requirements Companies are looking for a leader, business partner, and advisor Management experience (attorneys and non-attorneys, usually managing in an in-house role) Budget management Exposure to a Board and C-Suite Global experience (if global company) SEC/corporate governance experience (if public company) Compliance (if highly regulated company) Litigation management (depending on litigation docket or company preference) Broad substantive legal experience Industry experience Prior in-house experience (size of company matters)
In-House Litigation Roles General Counsel Search Example: Where Litigation Background Was Important to Client Client: Leading Public Chemical Company and North American Affiliate of German Company 15+ years of experience Interaction with Board and C-Suite Strong M&A and corporate experience, IP, government contracts, tax, compliance Risk management and assessment experience Industry experience Prior exposure to a multinational environment, preferred Significant experience in prosecution, defense and management of complex litigation, preferred Why was litigation important to this client? The incumbent was foundationally trained as a litigator. Current litigation docket was not large; however, client believed litigation training would help the business stay out of trouble. Why litigation can be important to other clients? Bet the stakes litigation Large litigation docket No other lawyer internally designated to manage litigation Sole lawyer for company or small legal department
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