Toni Nguyen, who has spent most of her legal career working in corporate legal departments, has returned to private practice as senior counsel in the corporate, M&A and securities practice group at Holland & Knight in Austin.

Prior to her move earlier this month, Nguyen had been senior vice president and general counsel of Austin software company Upland Software. Before that, she worked in-house at Luminex Corp. in Austin, and at Belo Corp. and Travelocity in Dallas. Early in her legal career, Nguyen worked in private practice at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper) and Vinson & Elkins.

Toni Nguyen

Nguyen said she learned invaluable lessons while working on the in-house side for companies in the online travel and retail, medical device and biotech, media and cloud-based software businesses, such as how to communicate with executives and how to provide practical advice in a cost-effective way.

“There may be a legal answer, but it may not be the best answer. The business solution may be different. It's how to weld together being a business adviser and being a legal adviser,” Nguyen said. ”I'm at a point in my life, I can make that change, take that knowledge and take it and apply it in an external counsel role.”

Mark Davis, executive partner for Holland & Knight's Austin office, said in a statement that Nguyen is the ideal person to build a corporate and transactional practice out of the firm's Austin office, which opened in 2014.

“Toni is incredibly well-connected within the general counsel community and has a reputation of excellence. She also has a diverse set of skills that will complement many of our teams, especially those in our Dallas, Houston and Denver offices,” Davis said.

At about the same time she decided to return to private practice, Nguyen ran into a Holland & Knight partner who mentioned the firm was looking for someone with a technology background, she said. As it turns out, Nguyen knew lawyers at the firm, including Davis and Houston partner Brad Hancock.

“I wanted to go into an environment where I knew people — people I trust,” she said.

Nguyen noted that she enjoyed being a business and legal adviser during her 15 years working in-house, so moving back to private practice was a tough decision. But she said the move gives her the opportunity to be part of a bigger “think tank” and also work on a range of legal situations for a variety of clients.

A few of Nguyen's mentors told her that her experience in private practice now will be different from when she worked as an associate early in her career because she is now joining the firm with years of in-house experience and contacts.

“People who went to law school with me are now in a position to make decisions on where to send their legal work,” Nguyen said.

There is one more plus to the move, Nguyen said, with sarcasm.

“I really want to track time again,” she said.

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