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profile Adrienne A. Brown – In-House Rising Star


Adrienne Brown is Senior Counsel, PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay, Inc. Prior to her in-house career, Adrienne was an associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where her mentor was Grace Speights, a Labor and Employment partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Adrienne and Grace have continued their mentor/mentee relationship over the years. What follows is an excerpt from a discussion between the two on career development, mentoring, diversity, and a variety of other issues:


Grace: Adrienne, you were very successful at Morgan Lewis and continue to be a great success in your in-house career. What are some of the traits you believe contribute to success in the legal profession?


Adrienne: One of the most important things is enjoying your job. It’s great to make a good living and work at fine companies, but it’s essential to me that I enjoy the work I do. It makes me more engaged with the business of my clients, and it helps me to do a more effective job. Another important factor is the ability to inspire trust.


Grace: I agree trust is critical. How do you know when your clients or colleagues trust you?


Adrienne: I know a client trusts me when we’ve gotten positive business results and the client comes back to me for advice. In doing so, I build my brand as one of dependability and trust.


Grace: What do you wish someone had shared with you before you entered a law firm? And before you entered an in-house legal department?


Adrienne: Before I entered a law firm, I wish someone had told me that “great agility” is required. By this I mean the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to different work styles — both within the firm and externally with your clients. I also wish that someone had told me to look at every assignment as a prime opportunity for growth and as a chance to learn something new. For example, I learned a lot from you, Grace, about case strategy and client relationship building.


Before I entered an in-house legal department, I wish someone had told me to get an MBA! In my current position,


Adrienne A. Brown is Senior Counsel, PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay, Inc., providing legal advice on a broad range of transactional matters related to environmental sustainability, contract manufacturing, real estate, and other operations projects. Adrienne is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. From 2000 to 2005, Adrienne was an associate in the Labor and Employment Practice at Morgan Lewis, resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.


Adrienne A. Brown Grace E. Speights


clients look to me for both legal and business advice. This is not something I envisioned before I went in-house and it’s turned out to be a very satisfying part of my position.


Grace: How important has it been to you to have mentors in your career, and what do you look for in a mentor?


Adrienne: I look for someone who has meaningful experiences I can learn from. I also look for someone who has availability — not just in terms of time, but in terms of their transparency. I also look for someone who is excited about what they do. I have been blessed to find mentors that fit these categories at PepsiCo and Morgan Lewis.


Grace: Let’s shift topics: What advice do you have for your outside counsel?


Adrienne: Think of things that I would not think of! Most of us who are in-house got our starts at law firms, so we have good training. Where outside counsel add value is when they anticipate issues and can problem-solve. When you are in-house you are also looking for success at a manageable price.


Grace: One final, but important question: How can law firms show you they are committed to diversity?


Adrienne: Firms can show me their commitment by using diverse attorneys who work on my matters and bill substantial time to those matters — at all levels, not just at the relationship partner level. At PepsiCo we are focused on diversity and it’s important to me that the attorneys working on our matters look like our shareholders, employees, and consumers.


Grace E. Speights is a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Grace was the first African American female to become a partner in the firm. Today, Grace holds a number of significant positions within the firm, including serving as Managing Partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, Co-Chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee, a Member of the firm’s Compensation Committee, and a Member of the firm’s Management Committee. She formerly served as a Member of the firm’s Advisory Board.


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