Are you stuck on the “broken rung” of the in-house career ladder, unsure how to make the jump from deputy GC to the GC role? In this behind-the-scenes episode, executive legal recruiter Brittney McDonough shares how to position yourself for GC opportunities. She shares resume tips–how to highlight executive presence and other soft skills, how to present yourself in interviews, including how to answer the tough questions like “tell me about yourself,” without talking too much, and what the C-suite is looking for in their next general counsel. Don’t miss this great nuts and bolts episode!
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Listen to the podcast here
Deputies: How To Position Yourself For A GC Role With Brittney McDonough, BarkerGilmore
BarkerGilmore
My name is Brittney McDonough. I’m a Partner and Executive Legal Recruiter at BarkerGilmore. A fun fact about me is I love live music and I’ve seen Zach Bryan in concert seven times in the past couple of years.
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Employer Expectations For A General Counsel Role
On this episode of the show, I’m thrilled to welcome Brittney McDonough. She’s a Partner at BarkerGilmore, an executive search firm focused exclusively on legal talent. We’re going to be talking about what has been termed the broken rung in legal, which is the deputy to GC step, the chicken and egg problem. Brittney and I are going to try to unpack how to get from deputy to general counsel. Brittney, how are you?
I am doing well. Thanks for having me.
I’m excited. We’ve been working on this episode for a while and putting this together. I appreciate all the thought that you have put into it. This is a question I get a lot from the audience that are interested in advancing in their career and feeling they may be hitting a ceiling. Before we get into that, I wonder if you could give a little bit of a background of how you got into the search, who are the candidates that you’re trying to place, and a little bit about BarkerGilmore.
I’ve been in legal recruiting for seven years. I focus exclusively on in-house legal and compliance roles. I don’t do any lateral recruiting between law firms. My scope typically ranges from senior counsel all the way up to chief legal officers and chief compliance officers. I’ll also, from time to time, get involved in risk and privacy roles when they align with my client’s needs. I lead BarkerGilmore’s Healthcare and Life Sciences practice. Those industries are my specialty.
A little bit about BarkerGilmore, for those of you who are not familiar, we’re an executive search coaching and advisory firm. We specialize in building diverse, high-performing legal and compliance teams that drive business success. What sets us apart in the market is the combination of executive search with leadership development and advisory services. We’re not just helping companies build these in-house teams. We’re also maximizing their impact by being able to offer guidance and coaching from executives who have been in those exact roles and know what it takes to be successful.
I had Michelle Banks who’s the former General Counsel of Gap and a number of other roles. She does those coaching services for the new GC. It’s a great business model. To this topic around the chicken and egg or the broken rung, it would be helpful to know with some specificity when you are engaged to do a search for a general counsel role, what are you hearing from employers about what they want in the role? The follow-up is going to be how can a deputy position themselves to show that. Let’s start with what the employer is looking for.
Let’s start with what the employers want to see on paper because there’s a bit of a formula to this. Typically, the ideal GC candidates have graduated from a reputable law school, spent a meaningful amount of time at a large law firm, and then transitioned in-house where they’ve shown a steady career progression usually through multiple promotions. Stability is also critically important. Employers don’t want job hoppers. They’re looking for somebody who has a clear track record of commitment and growth within their roles.
Beyond that, having this broad-based legal experience is incredibly important. Employers don’t want to see a candidate who is highly specialized or pigeonholed in one area of law. They had at least an exposure to a wide variety of legal disciplines. I’ll give you an example. It could be someone who is foundationally trained as a corporate transactional attorney but they have gotten exposure to managing litigation dockets or has dabbled in employment law. They know corporate governance. These are all areas that a GC ultimately needs to oversee. That well-rounded experience is super important.
Beyond that, it’s business acumen. It’s being able to connect the dots between legal issues and business outcomes. CEOs and boards are not looking for somebody who simply knows the law inside and out. Knowing the law is almost table stakes at this point. It’s being more than a lawyer. They want a strategic partner who can help the business navigate risk and capitalize on opportunities. How do you do that?
How do you show that? You could sprinkle those words on a resume, but how do you show that to get from a resume to even the first conversation?
It’s hard. It’s easier to demonstrate and speak to these things in an interview than it is to show them on paper, but there are a couple of things. One is showing your achievements on a resume in a way that directly ties your achievements to business outcomes, quantifying the business outcome. I’ll give you an example. Maybe you’ve assembled and led a cross-functional team to reduce compliance risk by 30%.
You may also want to put things on the resume that demonstrate communication skills. Are you presenting in the boardroom? Are you presenting to senior leadership? Are you preparing high-level reports? That shows not only do you have the communication skills, but arguably if you’ve been invited to those meetings, you’ve also won the hearts and minds of the business. It shows that you have respect, trust, rapport, and credibility. It’s tough. How do you get noticed on paper? A lot of those things I mentioned are intangibles. That’s more of how you show up in an interview. Getting your resume noticed is the first step.
Getting your foot in the door. When I’ve been interviewed, I have my name and then I have a little blurb describing me more in a narrative. I try to use a lot of action words and then I sprinkle in M&A and other buzzwords.
Having that executive summary at the top before getting into the specific roles is smart. Sometimes, I see a bulleted list of skills. It can be M&A or something like crisis management. It’s that combination of more technical, substantive skills with those intangibles mixed in.
Soft Skills And Executive Presence On A Resume
Let’s get to another tough area to show. You said earlier. The GC role is not just about your legal acumen and knowing the law. It is about those soft skills, being able to demonstrate you can carry yourself the “executive presence.” That feels like a hard thing to show on paper. Aside from saying, “I present in board meetings,” and whatnot, are there any other ways to signal that on your resume?
Certainly, include relevant certification if you have certifications in leadership, public speaking, or any sort of professional development that signals your commitment to enhancing your executive presence. I suppose there are ways to emphasize soft skills on your resume using descriptors like influential strategic thinker or relationship-builder. Those are all quite subjective, but it’s a strategy.
You can put professional affiliations. Listing memberships, any professional organization, and participation in industry conferences can showcase your commitment to growth in networking. It’s tricky. When I think about executive presence, it’s more about how you show up and how your communication and professional behaviors convey confidence, authority, and credibility. How do you show that on paper?
Preparing For The interview
Let’s talk then about the interview. I’m sure people can hire a resume person or talk to an executive coach. I have several executive coach friends that look at my resume before. Those are helpful. I’m going to beat my drum again to people about building relationships. Don’t just call that recruiter when you’re looking for a job but nurture that relationship. You did an article about this. I don’t know if it was talking too much or whatever, but there are some ways you need to present yourself in an interview to showcase things like executive presence. What are the ways to do that?
I think about the three Cs. It’s Clarity, Confidence, and Composure. Beyond that, it is bringing real-world examples of how your advice has led to positive business outcomes. That’s a great way to demonstrate executive presence. It is breaking those three Cs down starting with body language. Have good posture and good eye contact. Avoid fidgeting. It’s all those non-verbal cues or non-verbal communication that reinforce confidence and engagement.
It’s then communicating thoughtfully. I can’t remember if it was an article or perhaps a webinar that I did, but I talk about how I’ve seen so many candidates talk themselves out of contention. You have to be able to provide structured responses to your questions. I always encourage candidates to utilize the STAR method, which is Situation, Task, Action, and Result, to help articulate their experiences concisely and clearly. There’s storytelling.
I feel like that’s where you could get lost though. I think about even telling my husband. If I had a great experience at work and I want to come home and tell him about it, there’s the wind-up or the buildup to even get to the punchline. He is humoring me and finally is like, “You’re amazing. I know that.” The storytelling feels like where you could get trapped into talking too much.
There’s an art to it. Great storytellers have the ability to share their experiences through storytelling rather than citing examples and they can still do it concisely. You can combine that STAR method with storytelling because the plus to the storytelling is authenticity. It’s such a more memorable and credible approach. It helps you connect with your audience on a personal level.
Great storytellers have the ability to share their experiences through storytelling. Share on XThat’s the other thing with executive presence. It’s having the confidence but having that natural ability to connect and make people feel comfortable and be relatable. Storytelling enables that. I agree with you. You have to be careful, especially if you’re somebody who’s naturally a talker. How can you tell your story without giving these five-minute long or long-winded answers? That’s because you’re going to bore your audience.
It’s probably a lot of preparation to think through what are those examples you want to showcase. I’ve been taking notes here. In giving examples of outcomes and telling a story, you could pick a couple of things ahead of your interview and work on those. The other thing, and I don’t want to dig too much into this, is that a lot of our stories are confidential. It can be challenging to pick something that you can talk about in a meaningful, authentic way without breaching that ethical obligation.
Preparation is key. I invest a significant amount of time prepping my candidates for these searches every step of the way from the first round until the final when they’re meeting with board members and the CEOs. As with anything else, practice makes perfect. Your suggestion of having those real-life examples at the ready is critically important because there’s a strong likelihood that you will receive those behavioral-based interview questions, like, “Tell me about a time when X.” You can be a deer in headlights. You’re like, “I’ve had this happen to me.” You then leave the interview and you’re like, “I have twenty real-life examples that I could have shared and I couldn’t think of any of them.”
I tell candidates, “Have two buckets of those real-life examples, one where things went well, and one where things didn’t go so well. What was the learning from that? How did that inform your legal practice going forward?” If you have the positives or negatives, even without knowing what the specific questions are going to be, you’ll be able to plug them in. The prep is critically important. A good example is to come prepared. These examples are top of mind.
For somebody who’s a deputy who’s trying to move into that GC role, how would you answer, “How do you know you’re ready for this role?” or “How would you approach getting into the lead role?” That’s an opportunity to showcase your thoughtfulness and your leadership. That question is going to a natural weakness, which is, “I haven’t had the job before.”
A way to stand out and show yourself as being GC GC-ready or what I say ready-now candidate is about being able to describe examples of how you’ve handled complex situations and your crisis management skills. Whether it’s an acquisition, a litigation, or some regulatory crisis, those deputies who can showcase their ability to step up during these high-stakes moments and prove that they understand both the legal and business risks often have an edge over those who come to the interview and all they can talk about is legal.
Managing their legal portfolio, their budget under control, and that kind of stuff.
It goes back to my earlier point about showing that you’re not just a legal advisor but a strategic partner. You understand the broader business context. Practically speaking, it’s then like, “I get that, but how do I gain that experience as a deputy?”
That’s a great jumping-off point though. You said it when you said stepping up during those high-stakes moments. Anybody that is a deputy in any-sized company, there’s going to be a challenge. There’s going to be a piece of strategic litigation. You’ll have a PR problem, a big employment, or a big me-too moment. It can be tempting or maybe intimidating to say, “The GCs got that,” but a lot of times, she might need you. She might need a copilot. I interviewed Brandon Neal who’s the Deputy General Counsel at Walgreens. He talked about the advice he got from a GC. It was, “You need to run into the fire.” There are going to be opportunities for deputies to be firefighters.
It takes that initiative. You can’t sit back and think, “My GCs will come to me when they need me.” To your point, there are a lot of GCs who could use that copilot who would welcome that assistance and that support. You have to volunteer yourself and then make it known well in advance of that crisis moment presenting itself.
More generally, taking any opportunity to expand your business knowledge through cross-functional exposure is huge here. We join senior leadership meetings on the operational side, commercial side, and things outside of legal. What it does is that enables you to understand the company’s strategic goals, financial health, and competitive landscape. By attending key meetings and having ongoing dialogues with business executives, you become so much more well-rounded. You also become so much more visible within the organization, which is huge when it comes time for promotions or being tapped on the shoulder to get involved in something.
There are things you can be doing outside of your organization. I’m a huge proponent of executive coaching. That’s probably one of the most impactful things you can invest in. That’s also a conversation to have with your leadership. The executive coaching that our organization offers is almost always company-sponsored. This isn’t something that these individuals are funding on their own.
In most instances, the attorneys are met with positive reception when they go to get approval for this. Companies want to see these individuals stepping up and taking the initiative to become ultimately more effective and impactful in their roles. Whether it’s letting your leadership know that you want to be involved or asking if they would sponsor executive coaching, it starts with you taking that step, taking that initiative, and having the conversation in the first place.
That is great advice. Before our conversation, you sent some materials. One of them was a survey that BarkerGilmore did of deputies, managing counsel, and senior counsel. The data was interesting about the number of people who did step forward and let their employer know that they had ambitions to be general counsel. I don’t know if I was that surprised, but 40% did not. Your advice is well-taken that you can’t have your head down and be doing the work because the work is going to keep coming. You have to look up and raise your hand.
The data shows that many people make the mistake of assuming, “If I perform well, my leaders will naturally think of me and consider me for the GC role.”
That’s such a trap. That does not happen.
It’s not the case. It’s a missed opportunity if you aren’t initiating that conversation and being proactive. You can’t wait for your GC or leadership team to come to you and bring up the topic. You need to be comfortable about initiating the conversation and expressing your desire to grow into the GC position. Once you’ve done that, you arguably increase the likelihood that you’ll be provided with opportunities for greater visibility.
What’s the worst thing that can happen? You’re told you’re not quite ready. Maybe some of that hesitation or the fact that these conversations aren’t being had, up to 40% as we saw on the survey, is fear-based. It’s being scared, like, “Maybe I’m not ready.” I always say feedback is a gift. If that’s the feedback you receive, “We don’t think you’re quite ready yet,” at least you’ve opened the door to specific feedback about what you need to improve.
Feedback is a gift. Share on XIt doesn’t go away because you’re not looking at it. You need to know what the weakness is or what your opportunity is to grow.
You can develop a strategic development plan from there so you know, “Here are the specific milestones and opportunities that I need to achieve for growth.” Even if there isn’t a near-term opportunity to become GC at your own company, that’s still such valuable experience, and you could take that somewhere else. You’ve been able to say, “I’ve accomplished A, B, C, and D.” You’re deliberately working towards gaining that experience and exposure to be that GC-ready candidate.
It’s great advice. To a point you made a little bit earlier, being comfortable to say that to the GC, and as a GC, I’m going to emphasize that I want to hear that. I have had 1 or 2 people who’ve worked with me before say that. The last person who said it said, “I know I shouldn’t be saying that because that’s your job.” I’m like, “You should be telling me that you want to be a GC someday because then I will look at your career and your portfolio differently.”
To level set here, if you don’t want it to be a GC, that is fine. Being a deputy is a great job. If you’re somebody who doesn’t want the exposure of getting shot if there’s a problem, that’s great. You can do the fun work. You can get some exposure to the board, etc., but you don’t have to be on the line officially. I want to encourage people to have that conversation.
Successful Transitions
I have an episode with Kate Dugan who’s the General Counsel of Energizer. She talks about a very deliberate plan on how to matriculate people into GC roles. Don’t hesitate. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand even to your own boss. We touched on this before, but maybe you have anything specific to say about when you have placed deputies into GC roles. Back to storytelling, what did people do to stand out?
I’ll give you an actual example. Earlier this 2024, I placed a deputy GC into what was a highly competitive public company GC role. Plot spoiler, she ultimately beat out both the internal candidates and sitting GCs who were external candidates for the role. There are a few things here. One thing she did exceptionally well was in the areas where she did not have the exact experience they were seeking, she was very effectively able to point to analogous experiences that she did have that showed her ability to be able to come up to speed quickly on this.
For this particular search, it was a public company GC role. The client believed they wanted a corporate transactional/securities attorney, someone who had drafted the Ks or QS proxy. She hadn’t. She was foundationally trained as a litigator. She had expanded her portfolio pretty significantly but not so much in securities or transactional work.
She quite convincingly explained her ability to reverse engineer securities work using her litigation experience and how the skills she honed as a litigator and problem-solving, risk assessment, and managing high-stakes cases could be applied to the securities work that the company required. She did it so authentically and naturally to make these connections between her experience and what the company needed. It was impressive and stood out.
When I conducted her reference checks, those intangibles I talked about, this one reference I talked to described her as someone who walks through walls. It spoke volumes about her ability to get things done and tackle complex challenges. They talked about her adaptability, interpersonal skills, and the strategic vision that she set for her team. It was all of it. It was all of those things that I touched upon earlier, like being intentional about expanding her scope. She had the progression within one organization. It’s also the ability to build relationships and communicate complex issues simply.
Selecting And Preparing References
She sounds like a great candidate. You hit it out of the park with that one. We didn’t prep on this, but what about the reference stage? How do you pick the best references? It can be awkward if you want somebody from your current company. Any tips on selecting references and getting them ready to talk about you?
It is tricky when you’ve been with the same organization for a number of years and perhaps you haven’t communicated internally that you’re looking elsewhere. There are risks to having those conversations, but it goes back to having that honest, open dialogue with your boss, the GC. If they know you want to be a GC and you’re GC ready, and maybe that succession opportunity isn’t coming in the near term, they probably know that at some point, you’re going to be tapped for external opportunities.
Having that ongoing dialogue all along makes it much easier to ask your boss to serve as a reference when the time comes, but not everybody is comfortable doing that. Selecting somebody who you have reported to directly is important. I’ve had clients who require that. It’s been these situations where the person has been in the same organization for ten years and they’re hesitant to tap their boss on the shoulder so then they have to go back to people earlier in their career who can’t speak to their qualifications. They’re like, “I knew them fifteen years ago.” To the extent that you can get somebody who you’ve reported to directly is the strongest reference.
Peer references are also good. Maybe you are the deputy GC and you work closely with somebody in compliance or risk. Interesting things come out of that peer relationship. If you want a well-rounded set of references, find somebody who you’ve reported to, somebody you’ve been a peer with, and even somebody who has reported to you. That way, I can put it all together and tell this narrative of, “This is how this person has been perceived, or how they’ve added value at all levels across all types of relationships.” It’s probably those three, someone who has reported to you, someone you’ve reported to, and a peer relationship.
Those are great tips. A friend of mine is not a lawyer but looking for a new job. They have a very impressive Rolodex of people that they know and they’re tempted to use well-placed people, etc. My advice was, “I don’t know that you need that flashy title. Even though that person is great, they haven’t worked with you in a long time. How about somebody else?” It’s part of like, “I want to show I’m so great, so let me show you all these great people I’ve worked with.” It sounds like what you want from references are people who can speak to who you are through all facets of your work.
You want people who can speak to the now versus somebody who you worked with several years ago and people who know you. You have to provide the job specs. Give them some context. What’s the scope? What are the expectations? It is so they come prepared. When they’re providing the reference, they can do it in a way that’s relevant and tailored to that organization or the opportunity.
I’ve given people references. I always say, “What do they need to know about you?” People are often reluctant to say, “Tell them this,” or whatever. I don’t feel like that’s cheating, unethical, or anything. It’s like, “This person knows you. They like you enough that they’re going to do a reference. If they know something about you, why don’t you let them know what to highlight?”
I don’t think there’s anything unethical. It’s no different than the way I prep candidates when I have unique insight into what my clients want to hear about. We’re all doing it. You have to use those insights and intel to your advantage. I would encourage everybody to prep your references.
Tell Me About Yourself
Get ready. We’re winding down here. We talked about interviews earlier, and I should have asked this at this time. The question that I always struggle with, and it seems benign, “Tell me about yourself.” It’s always the first question or one of the first questions after you talk about traffic and how hard it was to do whatever. What is the best way to answer that question? Where are they trying to go?
It is a deceptively simple question. To your point, it is quite challenging. It’s usually the first question. It’s also a great opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the interview. There’s a certain framework that you can use to approach it. It’s this three-pronged approach. First, a brief career overview, and this has to be short. Think of it as your elevator pitch. It’s a high-level summary of your career and highlights the most relevant roles. It could be as brief as this, “I began my career in private practice focusing on M&A and corporate governance. After several years, I transitioned in-house where I’ve spent the last eight years leading legal strategy for significant transactions and compliance initiatives.”
The second part is highlighting key achievements. After we give that very brief overview, transition into 2 or maybe 3 key accomplishments that align with the role you’re interviewing for. Focus on achievements that demonstrate leadership, business acumen, legal expertise, and all the things we talked about earlier that clients want to see in a GC candidate.
You could say, “One of the most impactful projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on was leading a $500 million acquisition. I collaborated closely with the C-Suite. I managed all the regulatory approvals and mitigated the risks and it ultimately doubled our market share.” You’re quantifying it. It shows the exposure you’ve had within the organization and the impact on the business.
The third and final piece is connecting your experience to the role and stating your interest. Why am I excited about this? How has my experience prepared me for it? You could say, “Given my background in M&A and leading cross-functional teams, I’m excited about this opportunity to contribute to the company’s strategic goals as general counsel.”
That whole thing shouldn’t take more than a minute to a minute and a half. It’s short, so you have to practice this. You’re going to get that question. Going back to preparation, look in the mirror and watch yourself talk. You could also record yourself. Do it with your spouse, a friend, or a mentor. Your elevator pitch, you have to have that down. You could run into somebody on the street and they’re like, “Tell me about yourself.” It has to come very naturally.
Is there any personal component of that? It feels a little stiff. It feels like, “Should I be a little warm? Should I say anything about my family or what my interests are?” Is it more blocking and tackling, “This is who I am as a potential GC?”
I get this a lot and I struggle with that. I’m not a fan of when people put personal interests on their resume at the bottom like, “I like to cook and cross-country skiing.”
I like that. If you’re interviewing somebody, it’s a nice entry point. It’s a nice warm entry when you sit down in the chair and you’re like, “I see that you are a football fan and you like the Detroit Lions.”
It’s an icebreaker.
It’s an easy icebreaker. I don’t want to have a huge list of every chess championship you won in eighth grade. It adds a little humanity to the resume.
I don’t disagree with you. Perhaps why I’m averse to it is I’ve had clients hone in on that.
Was it somebody weird or did they look weird?
There’s been some quirky interests like, “I love canning tomatoes.” That was on a resume once. My client is like, “I have to spend a considerable amount of time with this person. Who puts that on their resume?” Is that fair? No, but the reality is, right or wrong, people are going to come up with their impression of you based on what they see on your resume. The less risky choice is to leave it off. Certainly, never put anything about political affiliations or religion. Everybody probably knows that.
It doesn’t hurt to say it.
Back to your question of how could you make “Tell me about yourself” more personal, I’ve always coached to keep it professional, but through the course of the interview and the way that you show up and the way you talk naturally, the interviewer is going to learn more about who you are. It couldn’t hurt to pepper in something beyond who you are as a professional. I’ll keep it brief.
I feel like at the beginning of the interview, we’re trying to establish a rapport. That’s why I feel like I struggle with that. It’s a great formula. If there’s a way to put a little warmth in that elevator pitch, that would resonate more with how I am. I struggle with that. I want to connect with the person that I’m talking to. I feel like if I am telling them what a great lawyer I am and how I’ve kicked ass as a GC in my career, I feel like it’s a little hard for them to grab something for us to connect on.
What you can do is the motivation piece. The last thing I said is about connecting your experience to the role and explaining why you’re excited about it. That’s a good opportunity to organically weave in who you are. When it comes down to your why or why you are drawn to this organization, is it the mission? Do you feel super passionate about something?
Connecting your experience to the role and explaining why you're excited about it is a good opportunity to organically weave in who you are. Share on XYou can say, “I’m exceptionally passionate about moving the needle in this space. I’ve spent a lot of my career being intentionally focused on this. The opportunity to be a part of this and the innovation, the mission, and the impact on patient care resonates with me.” That’s a good opportunity to talk about who you are, what makes you tick, and why you’re excited. Showing that genuine, authentic enthusiasm for the opportunity adds that human element to the “Tell me about yourself” question.
I like that. That’s a good compromise. We found a nice warm place in the middle. Also, you are the expert. I am just somebody who has interviewed a lot of people.
I value your input on this as well. I’m always learning.
Pump-Up Song
We’re rounding the bend here. I ask all guests a fun question. Some of these lawyers stress out about it. What is your pump-up song?
I’ve always been a big fan of women’s empowerment songs. Naturally, I’ve loved Destiny’s Child and Beyonce since I was a much younger girl. My go-to has always been Survivor. It’s one of those songs that can make you feel like you can take on anything. I also have fallen in love with the song Revival by Zach Bryan. He performs it as the encore at all of his live shows. The energy is insane. You have this sold-out arena with thousands of people singing every word. I love it.
That’s awesome. Thank you so much. I was taking furious notes here. This is going to be a great episode and will benefit a lot of folks, both deputies and others. Your interview tips, etc. apply broadly. Thanks so much for being here.
I hope so. Thanks for having me.
Important Links
- Brittney McDonough
- BarkerGilmore
- What’s Next: Career Transitions In The Legal Department – Michelle Banks BarkerGilmore
- Running Into The Fire: Brandon Neal Of Walgreens Boots Alliance On How To Make A Career Pivot In The Legal Department
- Episode No. 60: Kate Dugan, Energizer, Associate General Counsel
- https://www.BarkerGilmore.com/research-report/2024-aspiring-general-counsel-report
- https://www.LegalDive.com/news/listen-much-talk-less-to-get-in-house-role-recruiter-brittney-mcdonough-barkergilmore-legal-hiring/715272
About Brittney McDonough
Brittney McDonough is Partner and Chair of the Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice at BarkerGilmore. She partners with executive leadership on a national platform and focuses on identifying and delivering top legal and compliance talent across a wide range of organizations, including service providers, insurers, senior living, health IT, medical devices, and pharmaceutical companies.
Committed to understanding her clients’ unique needs, Brittney deploys an extremely personalized, client-centric approach and builds trust and rapport with ease. Her unique ability to see beyond the resume – along with her tailored execution of BarkerGilmore’s CustomFitSM assessment process – ensures an exceptional cultural fit for client and candidate alike, leading to high stick rates.
Accolades
She has presented at national conferences on the legal hiring market, pay trends, and the importance of self-advocacy for women lawyers. Her insights on gender compensation trends in healthcare and life sciences have been quoted in law.com.
Education
Brittney earned her B.A., cum laude, from the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Expertise
Executive Search
Experience
Some of Brittney’s recent engagements include the General Counsel for a growing research and development company, the Corporate Compliance Officer of a leading health and nutrition organization, the General Counsel of a public healthcare technology company, and the General Counsel for a large healthcare system.
Before joining BarkerGilmore, Brittney spent a decade at a Fortune 500 company in a variety of strategic leadership roles. Foundationally trained in project management, Brittney’s ability to listen, envision, communicate, and execute consistently results in highly successful engagements and client satisfaction.
Industry Experience
Private Equity, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Chair), Technology
