Historically, when you thought about the typical corporate board member, a “lawyer” was not the first thing to come to mind.
But in the wake of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which served to tightly regulate corporate board membership requirements, companies must now be much more discerning about the constituency of their boards.
Lawyers — once quietly banished from seats at the board table — are now a welcome and sought-after presence. Senior-level in-house counsel serve more than just a legal function, and in the wake of growing regulatory issues, boards almost require experienced lawyers.
It is also important to consider that sitting on a board is a powerful way for an attorney to increase her visibility and accelerate her career. But how does an up-and-coming lawyer with her sights set on a seat at the boardroom table take the steps she needs to be viewed as a qualified candidate?
A group of highly experienced lawyers who also sit on boards will answer that question at the GWLS’s panel discussion, “Winning the Board Game: Making the Best Moves Toward Board Service.”
The speakers are:
- Paula E. Boggs, former GC of Starbucks and current founder and principal of Boggs Media, LLC
- Kelly McNamara Corley, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Discover Financial Services
- Veronica Dillon, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Graham Holdings Company
- Jill A. Klein, assistant dean, Digital Initiatives, executive-in-residence, Kogod School of Business at American University
- Michele C. Mayes, vice president, general counsel and secretary at the New York Public Library.
These experienced board members believe it is never too early to position oneself for board membership. They will offer insights about how, by taking certain steps at each career level, lawyers can advance their opportunity for board candidacy. They also will delve into effective strategies for influencing board composition and ensuring that qualified women are represented in the boardroom.