Tell us about your background as a General Counsel and current career status…

I currently work at Armorblox, a b-to-b SaaS cybersecurity company that secures enterprise communications over email and other cloud office applications with the power of Natural Language Understanding. I was introduced to some of the leadership at Armorblox by colleagues from former roles and knew some of the team that was here prior to my joining.

How does your industry help define your role as General Counsel?

Cybersecurity is relevant for all businesses these days. There is clear overlap with compliance and privacy, which are core considerations for all lawyers. The industry faces innumerable challenges from the proliferation of attack vectors and vulnerabilities that impact our customers, but it creates an incredible opportunity for positive impact to protect our customers across all industries.

How do you feel the General Counsel should act as a business partner?

Having my scope cover certain leadership and operational aspects of the entire G&A function (legal, finance, HR) has given me an incredible opportunity to learn and impact a very wide footprint of the business, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to learn. Being able to have input in these key areas allows me to have influence in crafting the experience throughout the entire employee life cycle and have a uniquely deep knowledge of the business – and hopefully have a positive impact along the way ☺

How do you see the professional growth trajectory as a General Counsel?

I really enjoy building and scaling businesses and finding new ways to drive operational efficiency to empower tech and sales teams for success. I can do that by providing legal advice but can also imagine seeing a future where I focus more on the purely operational aspects of scaling for a larger scope of a business that includes the legal department. I don’t think I need to own a legal function to enjoy my work, in other words.

What is the best advice you can give for In-House Counsel?

Always learn as much as you can about the business you work for and the team you work with. I think lawyers today are really excelling at adding value far beyond legal issues and doing so not only enhances the legal advice you can provide but opens doors to learning new skills and adding additional value as a trusted business partner and advisor to the team. Being willing to learn things outside your wheelhouse and comfort zone and pitching in wherever you see a need, even if it may seem like something that isn’t “your job” will allow you to grow new skills while adding new value to the business and be seen as a valued contributor along the way. And just be open to experiences that come your way and continue to nurture relationships with former colleagues.  Enjoy the journey – you never know where or how you’ll ultimately find the next perfect role for you!

Mandy Legal

Mandy is a startup executive, with deep experience in company building, startup scaling through high growth, leadership, and operational problem solving, across all business functions, particularly in SaaS and cybersecurity. Currently, Mandy is VP and General Counsel of Armorblox, a cybersecurity company securing enterprise communications over email and other cloud office applications with the power of Natural Language Understanding.

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