So You Want to Join a Board? A Guide for Lawyers Seeking Board Positions
-min.avif)
Kimberly Lerman is a Talent Manager in the Atlanta office of Consilio. She works primarily with attorneys, placing them in a variety of positions in corporate legal departments across numerous industries as well as at law firms. Prior to the start of her career in recruiting in 2015, Kimberly spent 15 years practicing law in Atlanta, and she was involved in hiring attorneys throughout that time. In her last legal role, she served as Vice President & Associate General Counsel for a large company in Atlanta. In addition to seven years of in-house experience, Kimberly also worked as a litigation associate at local law firms, including several years at both King & Spalding and Eversheds Sutherland. Throughout her law firm tenure, Kimberly was involved with interviewing law students and lawyers at job fairs, on-campus interviews, and onsite interviews. She also was a member of the Hiring Committee at Eversheds Sutherland from 2005 – 2007. Kimberly currently serves as Co-Chair of the Duke Atlanta Women’s Forum and is a Member of the Duke Law Atlanta Board. She also volunteers with Emory Connects as a mentor for current Emory students considering a career in law, and serves as an Interviewer for the Emory Alumni Interview Program. When not working or volunteering her time, Kimberly enjoys swimming, biking, and running, having completed 20 Ironman® triathlons. She is also an avid scuba diver and enjoys standup paddleboarding, hiking, nature photography (including underwater photography), yoga, and cooking.
Summary
In recent years, U.S. companies have been facing ever-increasing compliance and regulatory requirements, which has led many of them to see more value in having lawyers in their boardroom. At the same time, corporate Board of Director positions have become increasingly appealing to many attorneys for a number of reasons, so a lot of lawyers have started to see more of their colleagues and peers appointed to these high-paying roles. Board work provides a unique opportunity for professional development with a time commitment that is significantly less than that of a full-time role, so in addition to being useful for career advancement, board positions can also serve as a significant source of supplemental income. While there are a lot of benefits to serving on a Board of Directors, there are also some risks. In addition, the process of getting appointed to these coveted positions can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start, so we’ve created this guide for lawyers who are interested in exploring the possibility of seeking a board position.
In this Whitepaper
- The benefits and risks of joining a board
- The responsibilities of board members
- How to position yourself for appointment
Key Insights
- The traits that make a successful board member
- The limitations of privilege protection in a dual role
- The intersection of malpractice and D&O insurance
Summary
In recent years, U.S. companies have been facing ever-increasing compliance and regulatory requirements, which has led many of them to see more value in having lawyers in their boardroom. At the same time, corporate Board of Director positions have become increasingly appealing to many attorneys for a number of reasons, so a lot of lawyers have started to see more of their colleagues and peers appointed to these high-paying roles. Board work provides a unique opportunity for professional development with a time commitment that is significantly less than that of a full-time role, so in addition to being useful for career advancement, board positions can also serve as a significant source of supplemental income. While there are a lot of benefits to serving on a Board of Directors, there are also some risks. In addition, the process of getting appointed to these coveted positions can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start, so we’ve created this guide for lawyers who are interested in exploring the possibility of seeking a board position.
In this Whitepaper
- The benefits and risks of joining a board
- The responsibilities of board members
- How to position yourself for appointment
Key Insights
- The traits that make a successful board member
- The limitations of privilege protection in a dual role
- The intersection of malpractice and D&O insurance
