You have built a diverse career at Lightfoot Capital Partners/Arc Logistics Partners and NovaSource. How have the shifts in industry and scope of responsibility shaped the way you lead in your current role?
Before going in-house, I had always envisioned myself building a long-term career at a law firm. I loved the work, the pace, and the strong sense of team spirit. But once I joined Lightfoot Capital Partners and stepped into the role of Assistant General Counsel supporting its portfolio company, Arc Logistics Partners, I quickly realized how much I enjoyed the in-house environment.
The move initially felt daunting, as it was a significant leap into the unknown. As second in command, I had to evolve rapidly into a true business lawyer and oversee every aspect of law. Areas where I had little exposure, such as employment law, suddenly fell within my remit. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. That experience sharpened my judgment and broadened my skillset.
With my private equity background, I was well positioned when the opportunity at NovaSource arose. As General Counsel, I was tasked with building the legal function from the ground up and leading the company’s legal strategy. As I immersed myself in the dynamic and rapidly evolving energy transition space, my scope expanded alongside the company’s growth. It was my first role in the renewable sector, which is a high growth sector that attracts many professionals from traditional energy industries, including oil and gas. Many of the legal issues we face are novel and untested. Being among the first to navigate these challenges has been both intellectually stimulating and deeply rewarding. Today, my role sits at the intersection of law, risk management, and business strategy as NovaSource continues to scale globally.
NovaSource operates in the renewable energy sector. What aspects of the solar and broader energy transition space are most compelling to you today, and what challenges are you navigating as the industry evolves?
What I find most challenging about the sector is also what makes it compelling. NovaSource operates in a forward-looking, technologically independent, and highly regulated industry. The rapid growth of the renewable energy space brings significant complexity, ranging from cybersecurity concerns to regulatory alignment issues across jurisdictions. As the largest O&M service provider in the market, NovaSource is constantly negotiating risk with its customers, who are power plant owners. As we help move the industry forward, our risk profiles shift continuously, from contracting structures to insurance coverage to dispute management. We are pioneers in our industry, and that presents a unique challenge: there are often no clear precedents for the issues we face. We are simultaneously building the business and defining the legal and risk frameworks that support it. It is called the “solar-coaster” for a reason.
For example, I began negotiating directly with insurance providers to proactively resolve issues with our customers before they escalated into litigation – an approach with regard to a particular matter that had not previously been used in our segment of the industry. Through the process, I learned how to structure solutions that create alignment and long-term success for both NovaSource and our customers. Handling these novel and complex legal issues allowed me to develop deep expertise, and I was ultimately entrusted to lead and expand the company’s insurance program. Adaptability is one of my greatest strengths. Insurance was an entirely new area for me, and I have been both surprised and energized by how much I have learned and enjoyed leading in that space.
How did you make the transition into your first in-house role, and in what ways did your experience at S&C support that move?
The generalist training at S&C gave me the foundation I needed to succeed in-house. As a general practice associate, I was often thrown into the fire, expected to get up to speed quickly by diving in headfirst, handling securities and corporate governance matters one day and M&A transactions the next. That breadth of exposure forced me to become agile and comfortable with navigating complexity, including across various international jurisdictions.
Today, as a General Counsel, I do not have one specific area of focus. I oversee everything from customer disputes and operational matters to mergers and acquisitions and labor and employment issues. The generalist model at S&C trained me to be comfortable with discomfort – I genuinely enjoy tackling areas where I am not yet an expert and building that expertise every day. Personally, I would never choose a role that was only focused on one specific practice. My exposure to a wide range of legal disciplines at S&C made it possible for me to broaden my scope and helped me grow into the General Counsel that I am today. The Firm’s culture of excellence and its expectations of high performance day in and day out instilled habits and standards that continue to guide me and now guide my team.
As time goes on, I feel increasingly indebted to S&C for equipping me with the tools to succeed. I will always remember working with Bob Reeder and Mark Menting, who gave me the opportunity to collaborate with exceptional teams and engage directly with demanding clients on sophisticated matters. I deeply appreciated the partners’ trust in me, allowing me to represent S&C and work directly with our clients.
What advice would you give to junior lawyers who may be interested in following a similar career path as you?
Foster your relationships, both within S&C and with your clients. I did not plan to go in-house; it was a natural progression. Over time, I became the go-to attorney for our client. When the opportunity arose to join their internal legal team, they recruited me to come in-house. It was an easy decision because of the trust and strong working relationships I had fostered with the management team.
I would encourage junior lawyers to pay attention to the work environment. Ask yourself: What do you gravitate towards? What do you enjoy day in and day out? For me, it was teamwork, collaborating with others and solving complex problems. One of the greatest joys in my career is building the legal team at NovaSource, with whom I have gone through a lot of ups and downs in a fast-growing and dynamic environment – turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
If you could give your first-year associate self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Pay attention to what you gravitate towards. I gravitated towards team spirit and that is ultimately why I love being in-house. I am energized by tackling challenging topics and issues, and working collaboratively with my team to find solutions. When I reflect on what brings me joy today, I can trace it back to how I felt as a young lawyer at S&C. Even then, what excited me the most were the challenges, the moments that pushed me outside my comfort zone and made me grow quickly.
With the benefit of time and perspective, I have come to appreciate that those challenging experiences shaped me in ways I could not fully see at the time. If I could offer advice to my first-year associate self, it would simply be this: embrace the challenges and trust that the moments that stretch you the most are the ones that propel your growth.
