Team size: ~40   

What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have recently been involved in?   

Since moving to deputy general counsel, my most significant matters have been in managing the global litigation matters of the employment law team (claims involving intellectual property, discrimination, compensation, and OFCCP audits), the shutdown regulations of entry and exit requirements between countries during Covid-19 (because our business model focuses almost entirely on sending teams globally to operate at client sites, this had a massive impact on our operating model) and expanding internal and external offerings in the DE&I space.   More recently, my largest transaction involved the consequences of the Ukraine invasion. McKinsey’s managing partner, Bob Sternfels, was one of the first to announce that McKinsey would no longer serve clients in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. We had approximately 800 colleagues based in Moscow and St. Petersburg that we offered to relocate within McKinsey while accomplishing the sale of the local entity. This required large scale coordination with immigration, employment, sanctions, M&A, and compliance divisions to accomplish, but the commitment McKinsey showed to its people was inspiring.  

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most? Which have you found most useful in your legal team?   

Case management systems and insider risk detection tools. The ability to assess and distribute inbound workload is critical to having a well-balanced team, for visibility to what is being worked on, and to allow for effective access and transfer of case files in the event of absences or leaves. Cyber risk and insider threat detections tools are increasing importance as we are operating in a wholly digital environment, and a significant amount of compliance and conduct issues flow from this space. Having the tools to prevent and detect, so that appropriate legal responses can be taken, is one of my highest priorities.   

The unusual business environment created by the pandemic has been swiftly followed by other shocks. Are you now putting more emphasis on preparing for the unforeseen and, if so, what does this entail?   

The unpredictability and uncertainty of the pandemic and other world events has caused me to put more emphasis on the care and wellness of my team. By targeting attention to their needs, and the needs of the team, if someone is unexpectedly out, we have developed processes and norms that create some important internal overlap, provide for better continuity, and ensure our people can take the time they need when their health or their family require it.