Name: Laurie Lee Nelson

Category: In-House: Banking & Finance

Firm/Company: Autoscribe Corp.

Title: General Counsel

Time in Position: Since 2014

What was your route to the top?

Prior to my current position, I worked for seven years as in-house counsel for banking institutions during the time that all banks worked to recoup from the 2008 financial crisis. The regulators were more active than ever, and acquisitions occurred frequently. Laws were rewritten, audits occurred more frequently, and the FDIC was actively closing banks. The experience I gained during these years allows me to understand the regulatory bodies that govern the financial sector in-depth and the importance of each and every term included or excluded as it applies to each business dealing more than most. Experience which I believe helps me succeed in my current position. Today as in-house counsel and chief compliance officer of Autoscribe Corp., I oversee the legal and compliance for Autoscribe's two divisions, PaymentVision, a payment processing technology company, and Lyons Commercial Data, a provider of financial data for purposes of compliance and efficient payment processing. My current position is not only in the financial space I prefer, but also provides the mentorship of a very successful entrepreneur and a team of incredibly intelligent and overall great people. My success today is a direct result of the benefits of surrounding yourself with such a group entails.

What keeps you up at night?

Every day brings new challenges to a corporate general counsel. The reasons I may lose sleep can change daily. One day I might lose sleep over an HR issue, the next day, a new regulation that is pending that affects my industry. With every problem or question we face, I must evaluate all the potential outcomes that the decisions to address such will have on the business. I must make sure that all angles are considered, and decisions are made that are the best for the company today to ensure future success and stability.

What is the best leadership advice you've given or received, and why do you think it was effective?

The best advice came from my current CEO, Robert Pollin. Quality leadership requires communication. Not only communicating goals and performance expectations but communicating the why behind the decisions made within the company. When the individuals in a group understand the why, it will lead to more focus; focus leads to results.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession?

Although I was lucky to fall into the area of law I enjoy most, I wish I had realized earlier the benefits of focusing on a specific type of law. The practice of law is broad and touches all aspects of society, culture and business. There are a lot of things you can do. It is essential to determine what type of law you enjoy most early and pursing such to gain the experience needed if you want to be a leader in that field.