06.08.2018

What’s it like working at Rémy Cointreau?
Wonderful! We really embrace the idea of work-life balance. After years working at a law firm, I went in-house to become the Associate General Counsel for Rémy Cointreau Americas. This year, I’ll be celebrating seven years at Rémy Cointreau. We work hard every day, but time certainly flies when you’re having fun!

How did your Rémy Cointreau journey begin?
I was living Houston—where I grew up—working for a law firm specializing in oil and gas litigation. My husband was a professional baseball player and traveling all over the country. He decided to retire after injuring his pitching arm, and he was offered a job in New York City as an investment banker. I decided to move to New York to be with him.

I saw a job on LinkedIn from Rémy Cointreau, and to be honest, LinkedIn was a newer platform at the time, so the job was a bit of a random find. I saw the posting for an Associate General Counsel and thought, “This is interesting …” They needed someone with extensive contract experience (which I had), and while my role at the law firm was focused on oil and gas litigation, my skills could translate. Moreover, the spirits business would be a new, exciting industry for me.

Your first impression?
What really sealed the deal was when I came to the New York City office to interview. The CFO and I shared a connection: His daughter went to Stanford (where I went for undergrad), and the General Counsel’s brother worked with my husband. It seemed almost serendipitous to come all the way to New York City from Texas and to interview with two people who shared connections like those. It really is a small world! While I had to adjust to the fast-paced day-to-day of New York, I quickly became accustomed to it, and grew to love the big-city lifestyle.

I wake up every day, and I am excited about going to work. I love my colleagues, and as someone who has three kids under the age of four, it’s great to work at a place where I can flourish in my career and, at the same time, have a fulfilling personal life.

What does your job entail today?
As the Associate General Counsel, I work with the General Counsel to manage legal matters, draft/review contracts, and oversee Rémy Cointreau’s legal department. We are responsible for all legal work in the Americas­—which includes the US, Canada, Latin America, South America, etc.

I am responsible for the drafting, negotiation, and execution of celebrity endorsement deals, as well as event sponsorship, event production, advertising, marketing, agency, consulting, digital and product-sampling agreements. I structure, draft and negotiate sports and entertainment sponsorship agreements, services agreements, as well as content and technology licensing agreements. I also advise business management, marketing and sales teams on the identification and analysis of legal and commercial risks. I particularly enjoy celebrity endorsement deals. I work with the celebrities’ agents, lawyers and PR team, along with our marketing team here—which sometimes becomes complicated with so many people involved in the deals, but it is a fun challenge.

Your team?
From HR to marketing, to sales and IT—I work with all departments to help negotiate contracts and get a deal done and signed. And I am very grateful to be supported. My boss, the General Counsel is a wonderful mentor who has helped me from day one. Our Compliance Director is an expert in his field. Our legal team is fantastic—always on top of their work, efficient and super responsive to all requests. The five of us are close-knit and very supportive of one another. We are the legal dream team!

What you love most about your job?
The people! I love that my job allows me to interact with so many people. My days are busy, but I am fortunate to be doing something that I truly enjoy. Since entering the Group, my goal has been to change the way employees see the legal team. We encourage departments to come say hi—to keep communication lines open. Our role is not only to protect the company, but to support and protect our team members.

I strive to have the legal team be seen as inviting, in the mix and as a support system, so I want all employees to feel comfortable visiting our office space. Now, I am happy and confident knowing that our employees don’t hesitate to reach out if they have questions.

Advice for other professionals?
First, and foremost, it’s about balance: feeling like you’re being challenged, but, at the same time, you have your personal life. I feel very supported in the Rémy Cointreau office in that regard. It’s a rarity in a fast-paced city like New York.  Being a working mom isn’t easy, but here, I feel like I can do my best in both worlds: personally and professionally. But it’s not just about working moms, but for working dads and those without children, single or married, too. To have the opportunity to be able to pursue your dreams, and to have team members so supportive of your passions, is truly a gift. Rémy Cointreau knows that for its employees to feel happy and appreciated, they need that balance. Moreover, I think that makes me work harder. I feel really fortunate to be in a company like Rémy Cointreau, and I work my hardest to protect its legacy.

Also, when you see a job opportunity that looks interesting, you just have to go for it. Give yourself more credit. You never know until you try. Be your own cheerleader.  Arrange to meet face to face! Job candidates are more alluring in person than on a piece of paper. It’s those personal connections that will get you to the next level.