Pardon Our Dust
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McGuireWoods Consulting senior vice president, Michele Satterlund, spoke with Corporate Counsel Business Journal on the crossover between legal and public affairs work, as well as a new initiative highlighting women working in public affairs.
Satterlund, who is also a partner with McGuireWoods LLP, discussed the forces behind the shift of corporate counsel assuming more public affairs responsibilities for their companies.
“There has been increasing recognition that what happens in various state legislatures really impacts businesses – and that corporations need to be involved early on in influencing the law, so that they can predict outcomes that could harm or impede the growth of their industries,” Satterlund said.
As a lawyer and a lobbyist, Satterlund’s combined skill set has benefitted her clients, allowing her to find creative solutions to even the most complex issues.
“It’s not always black and white – and with my clients, I try to work in those gray areas. It’s an unusual approach, but my background gives me a unique perspective,” she said.
Satterlund also discussed the recent launch of McGuireWoods Consulting’s Women in Public Affairs initiative. Aimed at highlighting women working in government affairs, attorneys with clients affected by state and federal legislation, as well as those in the business community can also benefit from the initiative.
“It’s not often that we all get together and talk, whether it’s from a business development standpoint or a professional career standpoint, about how can we better ourselves,” Satterlund said of women working in public affairs. “But it’s not the typical ‘women’s empowerment’ type of initiative. I feel like women are already empowered. We’re already lawyers. We’re doing just fine, but I wanted us to come together and really focus on building our own businesses and our own brands.”
Read the full profile of Michele Satterlund on the Corporate Counsel Business Journal website.