Do You Want To Be A GC? Taking The Next Step In The Legal Department: Julie Kinch And Deborah Solmor Ready Set GC

The Legal Department

The General Counsel role is the brass ring in the in-house career. How do you know if you want it? In this episode, veteran GCs Julie Kinch and Deborah Solmor share their insights on the General Counsel role—what makes it unique compared to other in-house positions and how to know if it's right for you.

They describe how the GC role is different than other in-house roles:

• It's more business and management and less lawyering and legal work. They share examples of the additional duties "as assigned," including what it's like to lead a cultural transformation.
• Why building your team and delegating is essential; and
• The different "soft skills" and communication needed to succeed.

But these skills aren't out of reach. Julie and Deborah are designing share a new program to help aspiring GCs. As a new GC, Deborah founded Ready Set GC, a professional development program aimed at helping women GCs succeed in the role and connect with peers in a safe, collaborative environment. Identifying a gap in the market for emerging in-house leaders (deputies, associate GCs, etc.), Ready Set GC is also developing the Ready Set DGC to GC Program to elevate the next generation of leaders.

If you’re considering the next step in your in-house career, this episode of The Legal Department is for you.