Dole Food Company, Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary –  Jared Gale joins Next-Normal Leadership Series host - Liam Brown, Elevate’s CEO, to reflect on the general counsel role and the opportunity to be a business adviser with legal expertise. 

As an early career firm lawyer, Jared recalls working with a General Counsel fully engaged in the company’s business, participating in non-legal business decisions. After joining Dole Food Company, Jared similarly approached his in-house role, advancing to the top legal position as General Counsel. 

Jared explained that to represent a company, one should understand their customers’ business, how they operate, and what’s important to them, their goals, what they want to accomplish or protect.

Click on the links below to see what we have covered in this episode:

• [00:55] - How Jared rose from Litigation associate to General Counsel of Dole Food Company.
• [02:26] - Jared’s different roles at Dole.
• [06:07] - Mission of the Dole Food company explained.
• [07:34] - Every business has its footprint – Take responsibility for your effect.
• [09:54] - How has the changing environment changed how a CEO thinks about the law department?
• [12:06] - Advice to younger lawyers – Don’t Silo yourself.
• [15:03] - How is Jared encouraging legal departments to see their roles as a moral compass for the company?
• [17:21] - Jared explained the areas of improvements that could help the Law school experience produce better lawyers and produce better society contributors.
• [21:47] - Understand how to approach a situation in challenging times for greater collaboration.
• [24:18] - “Leadership in tough times requires…”

Enjoy!