In this Q&A, Ali Henderson dispels myths about going in-house and details what she looks for when hiring outside counsel.
Texas Lawbook: What advice do you give lawyers considering going in-house?
Ali Henderson: I used to think that being an in-house lawyer would not be fast-paced and that I would lose the skills I worked so hard to attain in private practice. Now that I’ve been at ET for over four years, I’ve realized that is anything but true. As an in-house lawyer, you still have the ability to be intimately involved with your matters through strategic decision-making and witness preparation and presentation. So, my advice would be not to reflexively shy away from a potential in-house opportunity out of fear or concern that you won’t be exposed to high-profile, important matters and still play a pivotal role. And if and when you do go in-house, take every opportunity to get to know your new “client” — which often consists of numerous business groups, each of whom has different personalities and goals — so that you can best serve them by pursuing the right matters and identifying the right outside counsel.
Lawbook: What are the factors you consider when deciding about hiring outside counsel?
Henderson: Creativity, responsiveness, sufficient resources (number and skill of partners, midlevel attorneys and young associates) and the ability to be a “stand-up trial lawyer.”
Lawbook: What does outside counsel need to know about you?
Henderson: This probably isn’t unique to in-house counsel, so I don’t think I require any special treatment! I am incredibly Type-A, which manifests itself in the form of staying organized. I need to be kept in the loop, not only for my personal edification but also because I pride myself on proactively communicating with my internal clients about the status of our matters.
Lawbook: How is AI impacting your work?
Henderson: I am still getting my arms around AI and all the offerings in the legal field. One tool that I have found useful so far is AI-generated deposition summaries and insights. These have helped me in recent months in terms of comparing my notes and ensuring that I capture the key takeaways in order to effectively communicate them.