About

Clinton Hermes moved into the field of healthcare legal work soon after finishing his academic qualifications. ‘After I graduated from Harvard Law School, I went into a large firm practicing healthcare law, representing hospitals and universities. Eventually I ended up going in-house as general counsel of one of my clients, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I was there for seven years when I got a call from a headhunter about the Sidra opening, whom I joined in 2013’. Hermes is keen to point out that one of the main satisfactions he has derived from his career has been the opportunity to build the team members around him and nurture their talents. ‘The highlights that first occurs to me’, he recalls, ‘have to do with the success of my team members. For example, I am proud that the person I hired as associate general counsel at St. Jude ultimately got confirmed by the CEO and Board as my successor, and she is doing a great job’. Since moving to Sidra, Hermes has managed to enact a number of improvements to the way the legal function is run there. ‘I am Sidra’s first general counsel, so I’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to shape the legal department and others’ perception of it. We have focused on having a few excellent senior attorneys who can provide great client service and mentorship for our recent Qatari graduates’. Hermes is a proud exponent of the unique benefits and challenges that in-house work brings, and outlines this for other legal professionals. ‘Enjoy the differences between in-house and law firm practice’, he advises, ’but these differences are less about quality of life and more about the chance to learn an organisation and work with non-lawyers. You have to learn to make your skill set relevant to a discussion even when legal considerations are not paramount, or not even present.’