General counsel who leave and take up consulting to law departments, other in-house lawyers, and even non-lawyers

Almost seven years ago I listed 12 general counsel who had turned to management consulting after their stint as a top lawyer (See my post of July 31, 2005: from Bob Banks to Peter Zeughauser.). It seems so natural, but successful career shifts from practicing to preaching are difficult. I made the point back then, understatedly, that “some have succeeded.”

To the list from long ago I can add Kevin Blodgett (formerly of Dynegy), Jim Boeckman (from Toppan Photomasks), Ron Pol (Acting GC at several New Zealand entities), John Wallbillich (from a Midwestern energy company) as well as Scott Ewart, a former general counsel of two Canadian companies. Some in-house lawyers come to mind who were not general counsel but later tried their hand at consulting (Suzanne Hawkins, Duncan Smith) and at least two others that I know of are doing so now.

In the vintage days of consulting to legal departments, the field counted quite a few who had no law degree, let alone had practiced law in-house. Those included Bob Berkow, Jon Bellis, Dan DiLucchio, and a raft of others. Even now several non-lawyers dispense management advice to general counsel, including Richard Stock and Helene Trink.