McGuireWoods Consulting senior vice president Michele Satterlund, who is also a partner in McGuireWoods’ Richmond office, 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 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,” she said.
As a lawyer and lobbyist, Satterlund combines her skills to find creative solutions to 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.”
Satterlund also discussed the recent launch of McGuireWoods Consulting’s Women in Public Affairs initiative. “It’s not the typical ‘women’s empowerment’ type of initiative,” she explained. “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.”