In August 2006, Angela Hughes started Franklin Electric’s legal department as the company’s first and only in-house attorney. “When I first came on, my instinct was that we needed five lawyers and five support staff members,” she says. “But I learned that it’s important to take it slow — learn the company’s needs and the client’s expectations for the department.”

Gaunce is not your average in-house counsel, and his wide-range of experiences have inspired and polished his in-house practice.

Elganzouri says his business background has helped him better serve his clients: “I can speak their language; I think like them in many ways,” he says. “Having that business perspective has helped me establish strong relationships, and so much of what we do in-house is based on relationships. It’s made me a better lawyer.”

“I discovered a completely new way of thinking — it was very interesting.” Derry says being introduced to the legal world with no biases or expectations helped him keep an open mind, both in law school and his following career.

Kelli Cubeta joined Billing Services Group straight from law school as associate general counsel in 2003. Within two years, she reduced outside legal spend by 45 percent. When asked how she did it, Cubeta answers with one word: involvement.

“It’s hard to hire people who think differently than you,” she says. “But having different perspectives is really helpful — it challenges you.”

Since joining ConAgra Foods in 2007, Megan Belcher has designed and implemented a compliance training program; started an inhouse CLE lunch program and the ConAgra Foods Institute on Law and Policy; empowered her staff with cross-functional experience; and dramatically narrowed the number of firms her law department works with. Building, nurturing and leveraging relationships with key groups has been essential to her success.