CAPABILITIES PROFILE

Results-focused Senior Manager recognized for an energetic leadership style and innovative approach to complex business, legal, and management concerns. Experienced working within business and consumer markets, operations and risk management, external affairs and regulatory agencies, and local, state, and federal legislative bodies. Strengths and expertise include:

• Regulatory Affairs
• Public Speaking
• Litigation
• Corporate Transactions
• Legislative Strategies
• Business Law
• Acquisitions Management
• Cost Reductions / Efficiencies
• Law Office Management

SELECT CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Established in-house committees specializing in EEOC, age discrimination, and ADA law to handle large caseload of labor related litigation with minimal use of outside counsel. Reduced overall budget by 30% and outside counsel expenses for labor litigation by 60% within just 12 months.

Developed a seven-state legislative / regulatory reform plan that addressed competition by unregulated rival companies, in conjunction with lobbyists and in-house regulatory department. A version of the plan was adopted in every state, allowing the pricing freedom required to meet competition.

Conceptualized and implemented a fresh legal support structure for the newly reorganized nationwide Marketing Department. Teamed regional lawyers handling state-specific regulatory and legal requirements with a headquarters staff to manage FCC and federal requirements, providing all-encompassing support to more than 10,000 employees.

Invited speaker at multiple national and regional legal events, including those of the American Corporate Counsel Association.

BUSINESS AND LEGAL EXPERIENCE

GENERAL BUSINESS LAW AND CONSULTING PRACTICE, St. Louis, Missouri
Private Practice Consultant / Attorney 2003-Present

• Engaged in private practice of law and legal consulting with corporate clients. Specializes in law office management, litigation management, business law, and corporate transactional legal matters.

SBC COMMUNICATIONS
Senior Vice President & Associate General Counsel, SBC Ameritech, Chicago, Illinois 2002-2003

Managed all litigation, labor, marketing, and network matters for the second largest local telecommunications subsidiary of SBC Communications. Supervised more than 25 lawyers and support staff.

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, SBC Communications, San Antonio, Texas 1993-2002

• Areas of responsibility included Services, Business and Consumer Markets, Operations, and External Affairs.
• Chief legal officer for marketing operations, procurement, network support, technical research, and major customer accounts organizations.
• Maintained responsibility for all legal matters involving strategic marketing, securities, tax, human resources, benefits, risk management, and corporate governance.
• Interfaced with state and federal regulatory agencies; state, local, and federal legislative bodies; and state and federal courts regarding external affairs of the company and its subsidiaries.
• Initiated the development of regulatory and legislative strategies / programs designed to achieve corporate goals.
• Supervised 25 to 50 lawyers and support staff.

Vice President & General Counsel, Southwestern Bell Telephone of Texas, Dallas, Texas 1991-1993

• Supervised 30+ lawyers and support staff as chief legal officer for SBC Communications’ largest subsidiary.

Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, SBC Communications, St. Louis, Missouri 1988-1991

• Managed legal matters associated with securities, federal taxation, human resources, corporate governance, litigation, and merger and acquisitions for SBC Communications.
• Supervised approximately 25 lawyers and support staff.

General Attorney, SBC Communications, St. Louis, Missouri 1983-1988

• Chief assistant to the first General Counsel after SBC Communications became a publicly traded company following its divestiture from AT&T in 1984.
• Managed legal matters associated with SBC’s ‘33 and ‘34 Act filings, federal and state tax matters, corporate governance, and federal regulation, including representing SBC before the Federal District Court overseeing post-divestiture proceedings.
• Supervised entire SBC legal staff of approximately 15 lawyers and support staff.

EDUCATION & BAR AFFILIATIONS

J.D., cum laude, SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW (Ranked in top 3% of graduating class)
B.A., magna cum laude, SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
Mediator training qualified under Missouri Supreme Court Rules 17 and 88

• Licensed to practice law in Missouri, Texas, and Washington D.C.
• Member of the District of Columbia, Dallas, Missouri, St. Louis, Texas, and San Antonio Bar Associations

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Lead Presenter and Moderator at the 20th Anniversary American Corporate Counsel Association’s Annual Meeting: The Best of ACCA “The Law Department from the CEO’s Point of View.” (Washington, D.C. October 21, 2002) – Plenary Session for all attendees.

Lead Presenter and Moderator at the American Corporate Counsel Association’s Annual Meeting: “The Law Department from the CEO’s Point of View: The Sequel.” (San Diego, CA November 4, 1999).

Lead Presenter and Moderator at the American Corporate Counsel Association’s Annual Meeting: “The Law Department from the CEO’s Point of View.” (Washington, D.C. November 13, 1998).

Speaker at Law Department Leadership Summit sponsored by Fulcrum Information Services: “Mergers and Management: Bringing Together Two Diverse Law Departments.” (Washington, D.C. September 18, 1998).

Moderator and Panelist at the American Corporate Counsel Association’s Annual Meeting: “Transforming Legal Practice by Fundamentally Changing the Way Legal Services Are Delivered and Priced.” (San Francisco, CA October 23, 1997).

Luncheon Speaker at the Seminar for Law Firm Marketing Directors sponsored by the American Lawyer and the American Corporate Counsel Association: “Marketing to General Counsel: The Do’s, the Don’ts and the I Dunno’s.” (Dallas, TX March 11, 1992).

Speaker at Dispute Resolution Day 1991 sponsored by the American Arbitration Association and the Dallas Bar Association: “Practical Uses of ADR from the General Counsel’s Perspective.” (Dallas, TX November 8, 1991).

Panelist at a seminar sponsored by Mead Data Central / LexisNexis: “Alternative Billing: Updating the Billing Equation.” (Dallas, TX October 10, 1991).

Lead Presenter and Moderator at a seminar sponsored by the St. Louis Chapter of the American Corporate Counsel Association: “The Corporate Internal Investigation: An Ethical Minefield.” (St. Louis, MO June 6, 1991).

Luncheon Speaker at Legal Assistants’ Day, sponsored by the St. Louis Association of Legal Assistants: “Why I Gave Up Worrying About the Bomb and Decided to Teach Legal Assistants Instead.” (St. Louis, MO April 20, 1990).

Published article, “Eliminating Director Liability Under Delaware Law,” ACCA Docket 5-8 (1986).

Published article, “Judicial Determination of the Validity of Administrative Agency Rules: A Forum without Substance,” 37 MoBar J. 81-91 (1981).

RECOGNITION BY THE BUSINESS AND LEGAL COMMUNITIES

Biographee in selected Marquis “Who’s Who” Publications: America (52nd–60th Editions); American Law (9th–14th Editions); Finance and Business (35th Edition); Emerging Leaders (2nd–3rd Editions); and South and Southwest (24th Edition).

Biographee, “Who’s Who in American Education” (National Reference Institute 1992-1993).

Member, National Board of Directors, American Corporate Counsel Association (1998-2001).

Co-Chairman, National Law Department Management Committee, American Corporate Counsel Association (1996-1999).

President-Elect and Member of Board of Directors, St. Louis Chapter of the American Corporate Counsel Association (1988-1991).

Chairman, Administrative Law Committee, Missouri Bar Association (1981-1982).