Big Law C-suite leaders who focus on innovation and technology often find themselves navigating new waters, as most are nonattorneys arriving from technology or business backgrounds with little or no law firm experience. But they're finding that the nitty gritty of the work is generally not so different from the corporate world.

As large law firms continue to broaden their C-suites to include the likes of chief technology and chief innovation officers, reflecting ever-advancing technologies and modernized processes, the reality of not being able to make partner because they're not licensed attorneys sets in, but appears to quickly fade. These individuals realize they have a job to do and find they are still very much considered an integral part of the team.