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CANADIANLAWYERMAG.COM/INHOUSE JULY/AUGUST 2019
hether external or general counsel, lawyers quickly earn a seat at
the "head table" and become the trusted go-to advisor for decision-
makers in a company. Major transactions, decisions and plans will
involve a lawyer, and their input is critical.
Further, law school — with its entrance exam and limited admis-
sion — is typically made up of ambitious and intelligent individuals with
significant academic achievements.
Skills honed over time include the ability to cope in high-pressure situ-
ations, negotiating and analyzing large amounts of information. Further,
individuals with legal backgrounds who have revolutionized their respec-
tive verticals include everyone from the late Sergio Marchionne, a graduate
of Osgoode Hall Law School and former chief executive officer of Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles, to Theo Epstein, a graduate of the University of
San Diego School of Law and general manager of the Boston Red Sox and
Chicago Cubs.
Why then, with this coveted role and valuable skills, do so few end up at
the head of the table and instead we see many from financial and business
backgrounds making the leap to leading organizations as CEOs?
The obvious answers on why lawyers don't make good CEOs include
everything from risk aversion, lack of financial background and the stigma
LAWYER CEOS — THE UNDERVALUED ASSETS
BY DAVID FELICISSIMO
HEAD OF
THE TABLE:
Where are the lawyers?
