Becoming the GC

Meet Lisa Harrington , the ultimate portfolio career architect in the legal world. From top litigator to multiple General Counsel (GC) roles, a public company board member, and now the CEO seat, Lisa has mastered the art of continuous professional evolution. In this powerful conversation, she reveals the secret to her success: networking as a superpower. We dig into how to turn an 'odd' early job...

The role of the modern GC has evolved from being a technical gatekeeper to a strategic business partner who must balance the "speed of light" provided by technology with the "speed of right" required for sound judgment. Noah Popp , Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Enerpac Tool Group, joins the show to trace the transformation of corporate practice—from the era of hand-carried SEC fi...

Technology will only evolve as time passes by, and you cannot afford to be left behind. You have to grow alongside it and use it wisely to your career advantage. Joseph Schohl sits down with Ritesh Patel, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Viant Technology, a publicly traded advertising technology company. He shares the role of tech innovation in his job as an in-house counsel, particu...

Jamie Anderson , CLO of Virta Health , is not your typical General Counsel. She's a high-impact leader who has navigated a non-linear career path—from politics-obsessed DC student to Big Law at Aiken Gump, scaling teams at the healthcare giant DaVita, and finally leaping to the GC seat at the metabolic disease reversal startup, Virta. She also brings a deeply personal connection to her work as som...

What does a “retirement” career look like for a Big Law antitrust partner? In this exclusive interview, we speak with Mike Sennett —former antitrust partner at Jones Day—about his unconventional transition to General Counsel of the Water Quality Association (WQA). After decades handling complex global deals, cartel cases, and evolving regulatory challenges, Sennett found a rewarding “second act” h...

Navigating a dynamic general counsel career demands an almost James Bond-like dedication, a hands-on leadership with the ability to embrace the unknown. Host Joe Schohl reconnects with seasoned GC Ben Huddleston , whose path spans from advising fast-growing, pre-IPO companies to building and leading group legal teams at a $6B+ enterprise like DaVita. Ben shares his candid, real-world advice on man...

The path to becoming a top executive in in-house legal leadership is rarely conventional, but always a masterclass in career agility. David Shapiro , the General Counsel who shaped legal strategy and culture at major companies like DaVita, Vail Resorts, and Ibotta , sits down to share his remarkable journey. He reveals why accepting a massive pay cut to join the Department of Justice was the pivot...

To excel in your professional spaces, you must not only learn how to do your work with persistence and determination. Being yourself at all times without trying hard is also key. Joseph Schohl sits down with Margaret Howell , a general counsel in the fertility space, to talk about the power of showing up in your authentic self. She shares how this mindset allowed her to help expand a business inte...

Michael Geroe’ s legal journey saw him work from the West Coast to the East Coast, as well as a good chunk in the middle of the country. This taught him a ton of powerful career lessons, which greatly helped in building his own startup. He joins Joseph Schohl to look back on his story so far, filled with learnings about resilience, reinvention, and fulfillment. Mike also shares how he shaped himse...

Sterling Miller has spent decades turning real-world experience into wisdom that every lawyer can use. From his early lessons in Nebraska to leading major legal teams and mastering AI for lawyers, Sterling’s journey shows how curiosity and courage shape lasting success. In this conversation with Joseph Schohl, he reflects on the pivotal moments that defined his career—from learning to follow his o...

When you land in the GC chair, you cannot sit back and relax. If you want to perform well in your role and inspire others to do the same, you must learn to embrace lifelong learning. Joseph Schohl sits down with Carlos Lindo , a newly minted general counsel at Lucet , to talk about the importance of being a constant learner who does not back down from all kinds of challenges. He explains the right...

Authentic leadership starts with knowing who you are and leading from that truth. C.E. Rhodes , General Counsel of Frost Bank , shares how purpose, empathy, and consistency have guided his journey from early influences to executive leadership. He reflects on the lessons learned from connecting the legal function to the business, mentoring others with humility, and showing up as the same person in...

A general counsel’s work, even though not without its fair share of challenges, is truly a worthwhile one. Joseph Schohl is joined by Chuck Kable , Chief Legal Officer and Secretary at Innovative Renal Care , who shares his career path from litigation to in-house counsel. Looking back to his numerous GC positions, he discusses how this legal role has evolved over the years, particularly with the a...

Working as a lawyer in an in-house context is not a topic you would encounter in law school. Bart Peach , General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Unio Health Partners , joins Joseph Schohl to share a glimpse of his legal career as an in-house counsel. He shares what every GC should know about this kind of job and how to prepare for it, from being open to leveraging AI tools to understandin...

The GC role today demands more than legal expertise—it requires vision, adaptability, and business acumen. In this insightful discussion, David Katz , a seasoned legal professional, shares his unconventional journey from a long-standing law firm partner to a thriving General Counsel. Discover the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the challenges and triumphs of transitioning in-house, and his...

Blending legal expertise with strategic leadership is paramount in the complex realm of healthcare administration. In this episode, we're privileged to feature Terri Cammarano , Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at Cedars-Sinai, a distinguished figure in California's healthcare landscape. Terri shares her extraordinary journey from law firm partnership to becoming a leadin...

Biotech leadership requires a unique blend of scientific acumen, legal expertise, and business savvy, a combination that our guest Jean Liu embodies perfectly. In this episode, we dive deep with Jean, a biotech executive and seasoned board member with a robust scientific background and over 20 years of experience as a chief legal officer, including her roles at Halozyme and CJ Inc. Jean shares her...

Understanding the complexities of corporate law is crucial for businesses aiming for global expansion, and our guest, Hemang Shah , offers a unique perspective on both. In this episode, we dive deep with Hemang, a partner at Jones Day , who brings a wealth of experience from his time as one of the youngest general counsels of a major publicly traded company in Australia, Gloucester Coal, listed on...

Christy Crase shares her remarkable journey to becoming in-house counsel, transitioning from intense law firm work to leading legal teams at Professional Case Management and PCM Trials. In this episode, Christy opens up about what it takes to succeed as in-house counsel — from balancing legal risk with business growth to building a legal department from the ground up. She shares the challenges of...

Embracing any leadership role requires not only the necessary skills or knowledge. It is also about taking initiative, building relationships, and driving actual results. Joseph Schohl welcomes Stacy Bratcher , Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Cottage Health , to discuss her journey from private practice to leading a legal team of a billion-dollar health system. She shares how she...

Trust your intuition—it's the secret to hitting home runs in your career and personal life, according to Tommy Haldorsen , General Counsel at Galardi Group, Inc . Tommy dives deep into his career journey, sharing his experiences navigating tricky transitions, unique challenges, and triumphs of legal work. He also emphasizes the power of building strong, supportive teams – a crucial ingredient for...

Driven by a passion for healthcare, Caren Weakley , General Counsel of Sutter Health , shares her inspiring journey from law school to leading a major healthcare legal team. Discover how she prioritizes leadership over just legal expertise, building high-performing teams, fostering genuine relationships, and driving success. Caren highlights her career evolution, from navigating the challenges of...

When it comes to building a powerful network and expanding your influence as a legal leader, few people embody that journey better than Stephen Chu . From his early days in big law to becoming Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at InStride , Stephen has navigated the legal world with an impressive mix of strategic thinking and adaptability. In this episode, Stephen shares the pivotal moments t...

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