ACC South Carolina Member Spotlight: Thomas Komaromi
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America
When did you “go in-house,” and what prompted your decision?
In 2007, I joined General Electric as in-house counsel to have one global business client and contribute more to strategic decision-making. For the next ten years, I worked a wide variety of in-house roles in GE’s legal department and lived in four different states. Key substantive areas included contracts, intellectual property, litigation and employment law. That experience, including leading as chief-counsel at various GE manufacturing facilities, set me up for my present position at Samsung.
What do you enjoy most about being a General Counsel?
Owning the unknown. Understanding a global business inside-out and helping shape important business decisions with legal expertise. The job is proactive: identify potential legal risks and develop proactive solutions that align with the company's business goals. It’s also reactive: handle the situations that arise day to day. At Big Law in NYC, I was trained to deliver “perfect work product.” In-house, I strive to deliver that same quality of work in an abbreviated, business-oriented manner at a much faster pace. Ultimately, it’s about intentional service to others and getting the team across the finish line.
What are the most difficult and rewarding aspects of being an in-house counsel?
Working in a fast-paced environment, the goals are seemingly unattainable and the daily demands put a lot of pressure on everyone. With small intentional actions, small habits compound and even grand, distant goals and great change is possible.
How do you deal with high-pressure situations and stress?
I believe stress gets a bit of a bad rap. No matter the job, there is always stress. I don’t focus on the goal. Instead, I’ve learned how to enjoy the process by being present and focusing on the task. “The man who loves walking will walk further than the man who loves the destination.”
What key advice would you give to new in-house lawyers or those contemplating going in house?
Of all the characteristics that make a good in-house lawyer, integrity is second to none. Step into the shoes of your business colleagues, understand deeply the pressures they are facing, and help them get across the finish line with more than “yes, proceed” or “no, you can’t do that”. Offer new, creative solutions. Additionally, it’s easier to get to the destination than it is to stay there. You have to be exceptional every day no matter what you did yesterday. We are all human and sometimes we “just don’t feel like it”, but you must bring 100% effort each new day. Stay hungry with an insatiable appetite, but also allow yourself to be content right now. It’s a delicate balance because there is always something bigger we can achieve. Let yourself enjoy every moment.
Have you had any strong mentors in your career? What did they teach you?
At Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, I worked with law partner Mario Cuomo, who served as Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994 before he returned to private practice. He gave some of the most powerful speeches at the firm. When asked what makes a great speech, he once said, “The most important thing in oration is to be sincere. There must also be a sincerity in your gestures. Don’t try too hard. If you try too hard to kiss correctly, it’s gone. If you try too hard to gesture, it doesn’t work. It has to be natural.” At Seyfarth Shaw LLP, I also learned from some of the top negotiators in corporate, real estate and employment law. At these firms, instead of a quick fix, it was all about constructive criticism every day, regarding every detail, with a certain amount of discipline and discomfort applied. Today it’s become more important than ever to have great mentors. We have a massive amount of information available on any subject, 24-7 and I see inexperienced lawyers get lost and frustrated when not delivering. The key is curating all this info we have at our disposal, and applying it in real world legal practice based on past lessons learned and analogous experiences. Give me real world experience and the opportunity to absorb the lessons learned on my own. Give me honest feedback that is often quite difficult for me to hear. If you can do those things, and at the same time be a positive, uplifting person to be around, then I consider you a great mentor.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
My family, art, painting, history, fashion, guitar, community volunteer work, cartography, philosophy and collecting vintage vinyl records.
How long have you been an ACC member, and what is your favorite part about it?
I’ve been an ACC member since 2007. I love the people – coming from a wide variety of job roles, representing so many areas of law, and I learn from each unique perspective. The programming is excellent.
What matter or accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
I’m very grateful for the past 25 years practicing law. I’ve traveled the world, represented numerous business divisions, and had the honor of gaining experience from some of the world’s most talented lawyers. I have the deepest appreciation for my colleagues. My proudest accomplishment is giving back & being of intentional service to others – mentoring 1L students, interns and externs from various law schools, volunteering for veterans and the community.
