Dane Drobny Discusses Lessons Learned as General Counsel in a Q&A with Corporate Counsel

In a Q&A with Corporate Counsel, Winston & Strawn Partner Dane Drobny discussed topics including his motivation to become in-house counsel after working 16 years in private practice, his transition back to Winston after more than a decade working as general counsel for Sears and Groupon, and lessons he learned in-house that could be beneficial for outside counsel to provide valuable support to their clients.

“The main thing is the importance of providing value rather than just an outcome. Value is more than just an outcome. It’s a delivery and a result. It’s being practical. It’s being commercial. It’s being solution oriented,” he said. “So by helping clients solve problems rather than just pointing them out, value is being responsive, so that your clients feel like their problem is your most important matter. Even though you may have a bunch of different matters, the client needs to feel it’s the most important thing to you. If you’re providing value, you’re giving an informed and direct point of view.”

When asked what inspired him to return to Winston, Dane noted the shift in perspective he had after his time as both general and outside counsel, “I’ve been both a provider of legal services and a consumer of legal services. I felt like coming back into private practice after I’ve been on the consumer side allowed me to offer the benefits of having that experience, to clients.”

Read the full Q&A.