Name: Geoffrey Drake

Title: Partner

Current primary practice area: Product liability litigation

Experience: King & Spalding, 2005-present

Education: Vanderbilt University Law School, 2005; University of Virginia, 2002.

What drew you to a career in law?

My maternal grandfather and two uncles were/are attorneys. My grandfather practiced for over 50 years in a small town in Pennsylvania, handling matters for corporations and individuals in a variety of areas. One of his clients was a major coal company in the area, and he often told stories of his courtroom successes. On the other side, my paternal grandfather was for several decades the morning on-air personality at WHP Radio in Harrisburg. I felt a legal career, and more specifically one in litigation, would provide a fantastic platform for combining the legal and entertainment sides of my brain and personality.

Have you set a specific goal that you want to achieve in the next year?

As co-marketing lead for King & Spalding's trial and global disputes practice, co-chair of our pharmaceutical and medical device litigation team and co-lead of our autonomous vehicles initiative, I am working each day to help grow our worldwide litigation practice. I am fortunate to have spent my entire career in a collaborative environment where folks work together toward a common goal. And over the next year, I am excited about advancing several initiatives we have put in place to help position our practice for the future.

What has been your proudest career moment and your biggest hurdle?

Making partner at King & Spalding in 2013 remains my proudest career moment. At the new-partner luncheon, one of the senior partners spoke about the obligation each of us has to generate new, interesting and challenging legal work, so that associates coming up behind us have the same opportunities to handle sophisticated matters and to develop as lawyers and advance professionally. That has stuck with me, and I strive to do exactly that. Numerous hurdles and obstacles arise almost weekly, but with steadfastness and determination, I hope to be making progress.