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GCs in the Boardroom: Lisa Harrington, Board Director, Consultant, and CLO
GCs in the Boardroom: Lisa Harrington, Board Director, Consultant, and CLO
Key Insights
1. General Counsels are Natural Board Candidates.
GCs already possess the foundational skills required for board service: risk management, governance, and a cross-functional view of the company. However, to be successful, they must move beyond their legal silo and position themselves as strategic business partners who understand the P&L as well as they do the law.
2. Public vs. Private Boards Require Different Mindsets.
Public boards are heavily focused on compliance, SEC reporting, and fiduciary duty to a broad shareholder base. Private boards, especially those backed by PE or VC, are more operationally "hands-on," often focusing on rapid scaling, liquidity events, or navigating internal founder dynamics.
3. The "Board Bio" is Your Strategic Resume. A traditional legal resume is insufficient for board recruitment. Aspiring directors must create a Board Bio that emphasizes high-level executive wins, strategic foresight, and specific domain expertise (e.g., managing a $1B digital transformation) rather than a list of litigated cases or closed contracts.
4. Board Service is a Massive Time Commitment.
Many executives underestimate the "work" of board service. Beyond quarterly meetings, directors are expected to serve on committees (Audit, Compensation, Nominating) and remain available for emergency consultations, requiring a "high-integrity" commitment to the company's long-term health.
5. Proactive Education Increases Marketability.
To stand out in a competitive director market, GCs should seek out specialized training. Harrington advocates for obtaining certifications in high-demand board topics like ESG, Cybersecurity, or Financial Literacy, as these credentials make a candidate "instantly valuable" to a nominating committee.
6. Closing Insight
Your transition to the boardroom is a natural evolution of your role as an executive leader. By treating governance as a secondary professional "practice" and investing in your own business education early, you ensure your value remains high long after you leave your full-time legal role.
In this podcast, we cover
0:00 Introduction
2:25 Comparing and contrasting GC roles at public and private companies
8:25 Finding opportunities on to take on board directorships or take on board seats:
14:53 Setting yourself up to get recruited for board membership
21:57 Describing the ongoing obligations of a board member or director
25:51 Factors to consider for GCs looking to join a board
29:11 Non-legal-related advice for drafting your board agreement
33:01 Making strong connections with operators
39:21 Going through the IPO process with Iron Horse
43:12 Participating on a board during an acquisition at Slam Corp
46:33 Leaving a board role with grace
49:10 Advice to your younger self
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