When Gloria Santona (pictured), top lawyer at McDonald's Corporation, was in college, she wanted to become a doctor. She studied biochemistry at Michigan State University, but things didn't quite fall into place as she'd planned. "I failed to get into medical school," says Santona, "so I worked for a couple of years." She took a human resources position with the US Government, and that's where she became acquainted with a lawyer in her department. "He suggested I go to law school," she says. Santona took his advice, and to her surprise found that she really liked her corporate law classes.

When Santona graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977, she didn't focus on working at a firm. "I was very interested in getting a corporate job," she says, "and there weren't very many opportunities at the time." Santona interviewed with some car companies locally before she found a posting in her school's placement office for a finance lawyer position with McDonald's. She travelled to Oak Brook, Illinois, for the interview, and found out within 24 hours that she had the job. "I came to the right place at the right time," says Santona. Thirty-three years later, she's still lovin' it.

Shannon Green: McDonald's is the largest fast food company in the world. Does it have a supersized legal team to match?

Gloria Santona: We have about 90 lawyers based in Illinois and 70 overseas.

SG: McDonald's serves beer in several European locations and McLaks in Norway. How does the menu vary from country to country?

GS: We're in 119 countries. We do cover the globe, but we always offer our core menu. Anywhere you go, you are going to see a hamburger and fries on the menu. We're really more about selling core products.

SG: How do you stay current on the laws in multiple jurisdictions?

GS: I can't possibly stay on top of it all. We have local qualified lawyers in four different areas, but if there are issues that cross borders, we try to make sure we're aware. We can't think myopically. All of our lawyers need to have a global mindset.

SG: What's your primary focus?

GS: I spend a lot of time with our board of directors. I'm corporate secretary and, post-Dodd-Frank, there's a lot that goes into having a board that has the right information. I spend a good portion of my time on the computer, helping identify things that are coming up, assessing risk and handling the crisis du jour. I also manage a whole lot of people.

SG: Everyone loves McDonald's, yet we also love to blame the company for our weight and health problems. How do you deal each day with the challenges of running the McDonald's law department?

GS: You start the day by taking a look at the headlines. The challenges are the same for anybody working for a global brand. Everything is new. I still get thrown for a loop at least once a week.

SG: You often give speeches on diversity issues. Is diversity encouraged in the department?

GS: I was the 13th lawyer to join the McDonald's law department – the fourth woman and the second Hispanic. McDonald's has a long history of encouraging diversity. We're always interested in providing talented people with an opportunity to prosper.

SG: Does your onsite restaurant, The Arch, offer items year round that the rest of us can only get during special promotions?

GS: No. We can't even get a McRib unless it's rolled out for the rest of the country. We pretty much get what's offered in the Chicago market. But we've had newer offerings like oatmeal and McCafe in The Arch for a while now.

SG: What's your favourite Extra Value Meal?

GS: The double cheeseburger, of course, with some of our world-famous fries.

This article first appeared in Corporate Counsel, a US affiliate title of Legal Week.