Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

Carolyn Frantz, Microsoft Corp.'s deputy general counsel and head of the technology giant's corporate legal group, has joined Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.

Frantz joined Orrick's Supreme Court and appellate practice group Thursday as senior counsel, and as the group's only Seattle-based member, she said in an interview. While she said it's hard to predict what she'll be working on just two days into the new gig, she predicted she'll handle ”a lot of matters involving technology … and maybe some matters involving tax.” 

Her experience at Microsoft, where she most recently served as vice president, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary, gave her new insight when it comes to clients and legal approaches, Frantz said.

“Even when I look back at myself maybe four or five years ago, before I had the chance to work at Microsoft, I think there were just so many more things I didn't understand about how an in-house corporate department really works,” Frantz told the Recorder. “I just have a much better, intuitive sense of what my clients care about now than I would have four or five years ago … once you've lived it you develop a much better instinct of what may be important to a corporate client.”

Frantz's latest move isn't the first time she's switched gears in her legal career. Along the way she's been a partner at Bartlit Beck, an assistant professor at the University Chicago Law School, an Alexander Fellow at New York University School of Law and as a U.S. Supreme Court law clerk for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

She is also a Rhodes Scholar and graduate of University of Michigan Law School, where she graduated first in her class.

“I haven't been afraid to do something I've never done before,” Frantz said. “Which I do think is just incidentally great advice for young lawyers.”

Microsoft was Frantz's first in-house role. She joined the Redmond, Washington-based tech company in 2016 as associate general counsel of litigation, according to her LinkedIn profile, after working as Microsoft's outside counsel. She was promoted to her most recent role in January 2018.

As deputy general counsel and head of Microsoft's corporate legal group, Frantz oversaw legal matters related to securities, insider trading compliance, compensation and benefits, real estate, subsidiary management and procurement law. On some matters she worked with outside counsel from Orrick, introducing her to members of the firm's Seattle office.

She most recently reported to Microsoft general counsel Dev Stahlkopf and, in her role as corporate secretary, the company's board of directors. Frantz said her role at Orrick will allow her to stay “closely connected” with Microsoft.

“Orrick is gaining an incredible lawyer and wonderful colleague,” Stahlkopf said a statement. “We'll certainly miss Carolyn's leadership and expertise, but we couldn't be more excited to see what she'll accomplish in the next phase of her career.”

While Frantz's move to Orrick is a new step in her legal career, she described joining the appellate group as “coming back to my roots,” due to her law clerk background. Josh Rosenkranz, the head of Orrick's Supreme Court and Appellate Practice, said in a statement that Frantz is a “truly distinguished legal talent” who will help the firm grow its “bi-coastal team.”

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