Bell Nunnally Senior Counsel Sonja J. McGill is featured in The Texas Lawbook article “In-house to Private Practice: Q&A with Sonja McGill.” In the piece, McGill provides insight into her practice and explains the calculus behind her shift from an in-house position to private practice. McGill joined Bell Nunnally in January after stints at J.C. Penney, Inc. and, most recently, HMS Holdings Corp. Excerpts are below.
On why she chose to join Bell Nunnally:
I wanted to land at a firm that was willing to make an investment in me and teach me how to build a robust clientele. After a few false starts, Bell Nunnally ended up being that place.
On how her time in-house affects her outlook on her current practice:
I hired outside and local counsel with the same general philosophy and style for practicing law as I have: being proactive and resolute when the situation calls for it, but also handling clients with grace, dignity, understanding and empathy. I’m approaching current and prospective clients with the same philosophy. So far, it’s working out well.
On trends and upcoming developments to watch in 2015:
One is the Supreme Court’s decision in Young v. UPS, which looks at whether employees who are pregnant will have access to light duty as if they were injured on the job, though they are not considered disabled under the ADA unless they have a pregnancy-induced medical condition. If the Court rules for the plaintiff, that decision will transform light duty policies in a major way.
To read the full article, please click here.
To view our COVID-19 Legal Services Resource Directory, please click here.
