Team size: 9

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

As a 22-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company, I have had many varied and interesting experiences supporting multiple businesses. Perhaps not what the question intended, but I can point to one formative unique experience in my early years at the company, which has nothing to do with law but informed in many ways how I have advised as in-house counsel. As part of a brand training programme, I got an opportunity to play a character at Disneyland in California for a short time. This experience showed me firsthand the power of the brand. By seeing the emotional connection guests of all ages displayed when interacting with my character, it brought to life the responsibility of all custodians of the brand, including the in-house lawyers. All advice is measured against what I consider a higher bar.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

I think it depends. Authenticity will always be on my list; I believe being your authentic self and providing an environment for others to behave the same is a key attribute for any in-house counsel. Generally, so many qualities are needed, and their respective importance can be impacted by various factors, not least your level but also where you are located and industry. At a media company like Disney, where seismic industry changes and challenges are constant, resilience is a critical attribute. In a global matrix company, where you are based plays an important part, as invariably the myriads of stakeholders increase the further you are away from the head office, making being an effective communicator even more critical. Excellent business acumen, as understanding the business is key to delivering meaningful and impactful advice. The final point would be tech competence, as digital evolution continues apace, developing these skills is more important than ever.