..–…
definitely a strange situation but not completely out of the ordinary.
how long have you been with the company for? seems like it is just temporary and i would just ride it out and see what happens.
and what did you reach out to your former firm with? for a possible return?
Really the most interesting part of this is that you’re a woman.
Assuming it’s temporary, then it’s OK that Compliance Bro (CB) is acting general counsel. Before law school I was once acting GC at a start-up during a gap in GC tenure. You and the other attorney have to act like a legal backstop for the time being. For example, briefing CB with all the necessary legal information (which you may not have to do with another attorney) so that CB understands the ramifications of what they are signing off on. Also, you can approach CB and ask if you or the other attorney can take over certain tasks that lawyers usually do, and also keep you updated about the GC search.
Overall though, what’s curious about this situation is the lack of communication. It was a legal department of 4 (now 3), so you all should have been communicating with each other frequently and know what’s going on. But apparently the GC never really spoke to you and the GC and CB seemed to form a small clique. Additionally, you have turned to this forum for advice rather than just hashing things out with CB yourself, and you didn’t even mention anything about the other attorney. The culture is a little off. If I were you, I would push to have a big role in selecting a new GC, someone who can foster a more open culture of communication. And if you just aren’t comfortable there, no issue in looking to jump somewhere else.
I feel like a GC has enough not-strictly-legal duties that this makes sense as an interim measure? If you haven’t been there very long it’s not shocking that they’d pick someone who knows the company really well (and whom everyone in the company probably knows).
But then I also don’t see why it would be weird to have a non-lawyer taking board minutes. Signing off on legal stuff, yeah, that could be an issue, though approving an action as a company rep is different from actually taking legal action. It may be I don’t know enough about corporate responsibilities though.
If this just keeps going without any effort to find a new GC it would get weird, I think.
Also the post above this makes good points.
Thanks for all the responses above. It sounds like consensus is that this is not necessarily a red flag given I am brand new, other attorney is junior, and Compliance Bro is both competent and has been here a long time.
With that said, the communication has been terrible and is cause for concern.
I mentioned it because, although I don’t think anything was purposefully discriminatory, I do think that there is some element of friends helping friends, and I do think it is a bit of a boys club here despite their “commitment to diversity”. I just don’t think I have the interest in trying to deal with a boys club.
It would be much weirder to make the fifth year lawyer who just started acting GC.
Agreed.
Thirded. Stop seeing discrimination ghosts, it is an unusual situation but makes more sense to have someone with much more experience at the company serving as acting GC then the new person.
OP. Thanks. Not disagreeing with the above at all and not trying to make a play for GC. Situation just seemed weird to me, that is all.
You keep saying compliance bro and I’m thinking this is some 23 year old. If that’s the case, that’s a bit strange as well. But based on the fact that he’s been there a while, I’m assuming compliance bro is an actual adult.
Has your former firm offered to let you return ?
OP here: I haven’t let discussion get that far.
To be clear, I like compliance bro and think he is very smart and capable, and I like the job, I just find myself in a weird situation that I would not have expected and wanted to get a read on the situation. Was helpful as it looks like my initial read was a bit neurotic based on responses here - will just do my best to support and ride this out.
Your concern is understandable as you made a recent switch from a private firm to a small in-house legal group/dept. Too much unexpected uncertainty in a new professional setting. Whether or not a move back to your old firm is warranted will depend in large part upon the individual brought in as the new GC.
Although it may seem a bit trite to suggest that you refrain from characterizing your work situation as “weird”, I think that it may be helpful to characterize it as an unexpected period of uncertainty. Personalities matter in a small practice group and there should be legitimate concern regarding how well or how poorly you will get along with your new boss.