In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Taxwell’s Willa Kalaidjian and Nicola Hobeiche discuss the traits they seek in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with them and more.
Texas Lawbook: What do you look for in hiring outside counsel?
Willa Kalaidjian: We value outside counsel who are client-focused, solution-oriented and proactive in their advice, who understand our business and risk tolerance and provide actionable guidance. As in-house counsel we are juggling hundreds of legal issues and business projects at any given time, and ultimately we seek out counsel whose judgment we trust, who have visibility into emerging trends and best practices, and who can help move our projects forward. (We want partners who make our lives easier.)
Lawbook: What does outside counsel need to know about working with you?
Kalaidjian: Our legal team prioritizes collaboration and efficiency, and we expect outside counsel to provide actionable guidance that aligns with our business goals. Open communication, respect and trust are essential.
Nicola Hobeiche: We want our outside counsel asking questions and interested in learning about our business beyond just the legal question at hand. We are eager to talk about the business and share what the latest challenges and accomplishments are to help our outside counsel understand our passion for what we do and what we are trying to accomplish for our customers. We love when our counsel asks us how they can help streamline things for us when we reach out for help. For example, if we are asking for help responding to an internal inquiry, there’s nothing better than when our outside counsel actually drafts it in our voice so that it makes it easy for us to copy and paste it into a response to the business. That is a treat like no other in our crazy, fast-paced day-to-day work lives.
Lawbook: What pro bono or public service efforts are you involved in that you can discuss?
Kalaidjian: I have been involved in the startup community for nearly 15 years, mentoring and providing pro bono services to entrepreneurs and businesses in our community. Each member of our legal team has their own various activities that they participate in to support their local communities. Later this month, we will be volunteering as a team at Feed My Starving Children along with some of our outside counsel from Baker Hostetler. While we usually work remotely, we value our in-person time, and volunteering is a wonderful way to spend some of that time together.
Click here to read the Lawbook profile of Willa Kalaidjian and Nicola Hobeiche.
Lawbook: Regarding DEI, where do most law firms drop the ball? Why are law firm diversity numbers struggling to improve?
Kalaidjian: Many firms fail to fully recognize their own internal unconscious biases and may overlook the accomplishments of attorneys who have developed meaningful roles with clients. Representation, valuing diverse viewpoints and experiences, and recognition/promotion at the partnership level remain a challenge.
Hobeiche: There are also lost opportunities where partners can advocate for their associates to handle certain aspects of a case that will provide them the opportunity to level up in their own careers. For example, arguing a motion they worked on, handling a complex call or presenting to the client on a matter that they did most of the work on with the partner’s supervision. There are so many opportunities to help support DEI and bring up the next generation of attorneys. Many in-house teams are willing to support these initiatives, and I think firms are sometimes reluctant to ask or worry about having these types of conversations with their clients.
Lawbook: What is the role of GCs and in-house counsel in seeking the solution to improve diversity and inclusion?
Kalaidjian: GCs and in-house counsel have a unique opportunity to lead by example in fostering diversity and inclusion within their own teams. We also play a critical role in holding outside counsel accountable by encouraging best practices that promote equity and inclusion. Having diverse viewpoints and experiences is good for business and ensures that our strategy is not siloed or shortsighted.
Hobeiche: Mentorship is also a great way to help promote the pipeline of attorneys and provide support to attorneys who are new to the profession or forging their own careers to help them navigate challenges they face, in particular as it relates to diversity and inclusion.
Lawbook: What have been the legal challenges related to AI technology and privacy regulations?
Kalaidjian: One of the challenges related to AI technology is ensuring compliance with privacy and other emerging regulations while implementing forward-thinking AI-use policies that align with our business goals. Our AI governance framework facilitates responsible innovation and addresses compliance and legal risks while safeguarding our data and confidential information. Our legal team engages in conversations on a weekly if not daily basis, with teams across the business to help identify and counsel on opportunities for responsible AI use.
AI offers incredible opportunities to innovate, streamline operations, and create new customer experiences, but we recognize that how we implement and use AI matters and that it must be approached thoughtfully and transparently to protect our brand, reputation and customers’ trust. As legal advisors to the business, we help identify where AI can deliver value while proactively addressing its limitations, including copyright ownership and infringement risks, protection of trade secrets and management of customer expectations.
At the same time, bad actors are increasingly leveraging AI in tax-related scams and schemes. Taxwell’s legal, government affairs and fraud teams closely collaborate with the IRS and other industry partners to raise awareness and combat these growing concerns.
AI also presents emerging cybersecurity risks for all industries. To address these, we prioritize staying ahead of new threats, training our employees and implementing robust safeguards. We work alongside our information security, fraud, and IT teams to ensure these protections are integrated into our operations.
Privacy regulations, particularly state-level laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act require constant vigilance, sophisticated internal procedures and processes, and close collaboration and coordination among our compliance, legal and IT teams. Our privacy program continues to evolve, ensuring our data practices meet stringent IRS requirements while prioritizing transparency and choice for consumers. Balancing the protection of data with clear communication on how we collect, process and use data remains a top priority in our commitment to privacy.