Vanguard

There’s nothing like on-the-job training, and for?Janine Downing, a critical lesson was learned when she became de facto head of the legal department at?Marchon Eyewear, Inc. in April 2022 after eight years with medical and dental products company Henry Schein. “Compliance and legal aren’t viewed highly by sales and marketing at any company,” she says with a good-natured chuckle. “I learned quickly that you don’t just say ‘no.’ You have to build trust with your business colleagues and create partnerships.” The sales and marketing departments at Henry Schein floated ideas for product promotions and loyalty programs; they’d ask Downing to sign off. While she wouldn’t initially if she perceived issues, Downing offered an alternative approach to accomplish the same means. Now, at Marchon, she also proves her business credentials by drafting agreements for Marchon to design, manufacture and distribute eyewear and sunglasses for other brands, including Britain’s leading independent company, Paul Smith, in the second half of 2022. https://lnkd.in/e_BSv_zC

Meeting customer, shareholder, community and regulatory expectations is essential for financial services institutions.?Environmental, social and governance topics have come into focus as investors, regulators and customers want information on how these areas impact an organization’s overall financial health and risk management practices. Having strong corporate governance practices in place helps mitigate potential negative impacts on the institution’s reputation and finances, including financial irregularities, fraud, and other legal issues. This creates a stable, accountable, transparent environment that attracts investors. Luckily for?Citizens,?Robin S. Elkowitz?is on the team and plays a pivotal role in the company’s corporate governance initiatives. READ THE STORY: https://lnkd.in/eQbtUfPb

León Velasco Botello, the legal and business ethics associate director for the LATAM region at?dsm-firmenich, navigates complex legal intricacies and evolving business dynamics with expertise. His journey is marked by a commitment to excellence, evident in his role as the legal director overseeing all Mexican operations. This includes managing three strategically positioned plants in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Toluca, as well as corporate offices and innovation laboratories. Velasco’s responsibilities extend beyond Mexico, as he also manages legal operations in Central America and Colombia, demonstrating his adaptability and proficiency across diverse regulatory environments. The merger of DSM and Firmenich in May 2023 presented Velasco with new challenges and opportunities. In this transformative period, his role expanded significantly to align capabilities and foster synergies between the two legacy companies. Particularly noteworthy is his focus on ensuring compliance through both legacy business units, leveraging both entities’ combined strengths to drive growth and innovation. https://lnkd.in/dhzRH-eA

It was during his time as captain of his high school wrestling team that?Tim Durken?would first start wearing?ASICS America Corporation. The classic Tiger Stripe logo distinctive on those shoes remains prominent today as the Japanese brand continues selling cutting-edge footwear and apparel worldwide. Durken does his part to support the business as the general counsel, privacy officer and compliance officer for ASICS North America gear. “It is crucial to proactively partner with the business to meet its objectives while identifying and mitigating risks,” says Durken. In his role, Durken oversees legal functions for the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Since he started with the company over four years ago, his team has expanded to include five attorneys and a paralegal in the company’s offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Irvine, California. Read The Story: https://lnkd.in/ezfmSWM2

There is some irony in how the legal profession tends to operate. So, notes Daniel Farrar, the chief executive officer of Assembly Software, a South Florida-based legal tech company that’s simplifying some of the most basic but necessary tasks for law firms of all sizes in plaintiff law, insurance defense, mass torts, family law, bankruptcy, and for all attorneys, as well as district attorneys, attorneys general, and other public entities. “Much law is a repetitious process, especially plaintiff law, yet most law firms haven’t even fully adopted cloud-based software, much less artificial intelligence (AI),” he says. “Many firms are looking to manage a spectacular number of cases but lack the proper technology to do so effectively. Firms that aim to enhance their productivity, improve staff collaboration, and modernize and future-proof their practices must swiftly and strategically embrace new technology. Law firms that adapt their way of working in response to these advancements are more likely to succeed than their peers who do not.” Read The Whole Story: https://lnkd.in/eRc54zPJ

Much as she enjoys living and working in Northern California, there are times when Angela Chadwick, JD, MBA envies those in the western Virginia town of Christiansburg. Other times, she feels the same about those in metro Dallas/Fort Worth. “I don’t cook and don’t like leaving home to shop for what can be delivered,” she says. “I also like to have my things delivered fast.” Should Christiansburg dwellers crave a Wendy’s combo complete with a Frosty, they can have it delivered by drone to their doorstep in as little as 15 minutes through the DoorDash app. Should Dallas residents within a six-mile radius of select Walmart stores want something from the retail giant, they too can have it land safely in their yard. As General Counsel of Wing, a leading residential drone service, Chadwick helped seal the deals with DoorDash and Walmart and is working on more. According to her, the sky’s literally the limit for Wing, though there remains a lot of work to create the legal and business principles that will shape the growth of Wing and the drone delivery industry. https://lnkd.in/eiUu99gV

True to its name,?Empower Pharmacy?is muscling up, with?Edgar Gonzalez?doing much of the heavy lifting. Formerly the Houston-headquartered company’s secondment lawyer, he’ll celebrate his first anniversary as the Vice President – Deputy General Counsel serving as the interim general counsel in October—and what an eventful year it’ll have been. This past April, Gonzalez finalized Empower’s acquisition of Eugia’s massive manufacturing site in East Windsor, New Jersey, and by year’s end, he anticipates it being licensed as an outsourcing facility for compound medications destined for hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers. In legal terms, that’s a 503B outsourcing facility instead of a 503A compounding pharmacy, which dispenses specialty medication directly to patients. Empower currently has a 503A facility and a 503B facility in northwest Houston. https://lnkd.in/eeuHKURe

He usually hears secondhand of his employer’s accomplishments in genetics testing. Another C-suiter might return from a national conference and tell colleagues of parents who personally thanked?GeneDx?for helping diagnose their child’s illness. “I get to live vicariously through these stories,” the mild-mannered and courtly?Devin Schaffer?tells Vanguard in June with his first anniversary at the company passing a couple of months ago as general counsel and secretary of the company that’s becoming a go-to for driving the utilization and adoption of exome and genome testing to diagnose rare disease. And what a transformative year it’s shaping up to be, with Schaffer and his legal department playing a behind-the-scenes role to better position GeneDx for continued success. While he defers much credit to his cross-functional team, including the company’s numerous genetics experts working tirelessly to process and interpret complex genetic information to provide the most vulnerable patients with a diagnosis, Schaffer takes satisfaction by aiding their cause with his mix of legal and business acumen. https://lnkd.in/eHW6V7YK

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.?is a leading solutions provider for the higher education industry, driving affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. To make that happen, the organization relies on people like?Michael C. Miller, the company’s chief legal officer, executive vice president of corporate development and affairs, and corporate secretary, who has played a vital role in shaping the company’s trajectory over the past seven years.? https://lnkd.in/e9h224ZX

Mathieu Giguère?is the chief legal officer and corporate secretary at?Aimia Inc, where he is crucial in steering the company through legal intricacies and corporate governance matters that were highly publicized in 2023 and in 2024. His tenure started amidst a turbulent period, as AIMIA was entangled in a high-stakes shareholder dispute with its biggest shareholder investor. “The fallout from this dispute saw AIMIA’s chairman ousted and other directors elected by a very small margin, setting the stage for a challenging landscape upon my arrival in May 2023,” Giguere tells Vanguard magazine. Founded in 1984, Montreal-based AIMIA is an investment holding company focusing on its two global businesses, Bozzetto, a sustainable specialty chemicals company, and Cortland International, a rope and netting solutions company.?Apart from these two major holdings, AIMIA has other non-core investments in public and private companies worldwide. As CLO and Corporate Secretary, Giguere’s responsibilities encompass various tasks essential to the company’s legal and governance framework, as he is also part of the management team. Among his responsibilities, he oversees the formulation and implementation of legal strategies, which includes M&A opportunities, financing of the portfolio companies or managing the litigations instituted in front of Court in New York and Toronto or in front of the Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal. His hybrid experience in corporate and commercial law, combined with his litigation experience, helped him navigate through the various legal challenges. https://lnkd.in/gm-FegD3