Alex Swanson, Partner, Litigation and Trial, Rutan & Tucker
Where do you work, and what is your practice focus?
I work at Rutan & Tucker, LLP in Irvine. My practice focuses on environmental litigation, including cost recovery for cleanup of contaminated sites, toxic tort defense, and Proposition 65 defense.
What is the coolest thing about your practice area?
I was a biologist before becoming a lawyer, and it’s been really cool to be able to incorporate my science background into my practice and work with experts who typically have PhDs or other advanced scientific training.
What resources do you consult or use to stay current re the legal matters you work on?
I’m always trying to improve how I stay up-to-date, which can be difficult. I rely on the Environmental updates from Law360 and the Daily Journal.
If you were not a lawyer, which career would you choose?
One of my other passions is music. If I could make a living playing the piano, I’d probably try to do that.
What is the best career advice you have received?
The very successful attorneys I’ve worked with in my career have always emphasized the importance of understanding the client’s legal problems and concerns and the attorney’s primary role in managing those problems and concerns so the client can worry about them less. This is good to remember when the legal work is challenging or tedious, or the client is very demanding. It’s our job to take on the legal stress so the client can focus on their life or business.
What’s something about you that your clients might be surprised to know?
My clients often don’t know about my previous science career. They might be surprised to learn I’ve discovered and described several new species of beetle.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto?
I honestly don’t, but now I feel I should find one!
If you could have dinner with one person from any point in history, who would you choose and why?
I’d like to sit down with Alexander Hamilton and get his take on the course of American history, the federal government, and the law after his life. What would one of the Founding Fathers be proud of, and surprised or dismayed by?
Is there anything else you want ACC SoCal to know?
If I have to pick one “practice area,” I’d identify environmental litigation as I did in my earlier answer, but my practice also includes patent litigation, especially where there is a life science angle, and general commercial litigation.
David Skaggs, Senior Counsel, Zurich Insurance
Where do you work, and what is your role?
I currently serve as Senior Counsel at Zurich Insurance, responsible for managing a portfolio of litigated claims and advising the organization on litigation strategy and risk.
What is the coolest thing about your line of work? Or about the industry you are in?
One of the most rewarding aspects of working in the insurance industry is its incredible breadth and impact. The industry touches nearly every part of daily life and the economy, and it plays a vital role in helping individuals and businesses protect themselves financially through effective risk transfer.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve found working there?
I’ve been surprised by how innovative and data‑driven the insurance industry has become. There’s a level of analytics and technology behind the scenes that most people outside the industry probably wouldn’t expect.
What do you love about being an in-house attorney?
What I value most about being in‑house is the ability to contribute directly to a company’s mission, to focus on a single client’s needs, and to collaborate with a wide range of departments and people across the organization.
What resources do you consult or use to stay current re the legal matters you work on?
I consider the Southern California Chapter of the ACC to be one of the most valuable resources for staying current on emerging legal issues and best practices.
If you were not a lawyer, what career would you choose?
I’d probably be a snow‑ski instructor because it’s always been a passion of mine and offers a completely different kind of challenge.
Why did you join ACC, and what do you like the most about being an ACC SoCal Member?
I previously served as General Counsel for a company headquartered in Los Angeles, and I was looking for an organization that would help me connect with other local in‑house leaders and stay current on emerging legal topics. ACC fit that need perfectly, and our SoCal Chapter has been especially valuable for its community and practical resources.
What is your favorite ACC event and why?
ACC puts on a lot of great events, but the General Counsel Summit is my favorite. The programming is always excellent, and the fact that it’s held at iconic locations like Disneyland and Universal Studios makes it especially memorable.
What is the best career advice you have received?
A colleague once shared that when her company was acquired, many people left due to job‑security concerns. She chose to stay, and it ultimately became a 20‑year career. When a company I worked for was acquired, I remembered her advice and stayed as well, which led to another 15 years of meaningful work.
When you aren’t practicing law, what are you doing?
When I’m not practicing law, I’m usually trying to squeeze in a few hours of sleep, which I say only half-jokingly.
What’s something about you that fellow ACC SoCal members might be surprised to know?
I was a hip‑hop dancer in a series of KKBT/FM 92 “The Beat” commercials that aired in Los Angeles in the 1990s — something a few people might remember if they lived in the area at the time.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto?
I really like Jeff Bezos’s statement that “the risks are probably not as big as you perceive, and the opportunities may be bigger than you perceive.” It’s a helpful decision-making mindset, especially for those who tend to be risk-averse.
If you could have dinner with one person from any point in history, who would you choose and why?
I would choose Abraham Lincoln for his extraordinary ability to remain resolute in his goals and values while leading a divided nation through its greatest crisis.
Is there anything else you want us to know?
I’m honored to work alongside my colleagues on the board and with our president, Rhea Ricard, in supporting our chapter and its mission. The education, pro bono work, and networking opportunities we offer are truly exceptional, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.
Hilary Briscoe, Ethics & Compliance, Anti-Corruption Counsel, Western Digital
Where do you work, and what is your role?
I am Ethics & Compliance, Anti-Corruption Counsel at Western Digital (“WD”)—we manufacture digital storage solutions such as hard drives.
What is the coolest thing about your line of work? Or about the industry you are in?
Anti-corruption work is cool because issues pop up across the organization (from Philanthropy to Procurement to Sales), manifest themselves differently across geographies, and often require people-centric solutions—not just policy, process, or technological solutions.
Regarding the digital storage industry—WD went from “legacy hardware” to “AI infrastructure backbone” due to the enormous amount of content and innumerable data sets needed to support AI workloads. All of the data must be stored somewhere, and WD has the goods!
Why did you join ACC, and what do you like the most about being an ACC SoCal Member?
I joined ACC last year because the current ACC SoCal Chapter President (Rhea Ricard) was so friendly at another non-ACC legal mixer and encouraged me to join! I’m so glad I did.
Thus far, I really enjoy the Pro Bono Committee events. Impactful ones include the Firefighter Expungement Clinic and the Children’s Hospital of Orange Country Conservatorship Clinic.
What resources do you consult or use to stay current re the legal matters you work on?
I think everyone has their preferred subject matter resources, but the ACC AI Center of Excellence for In-house Counsel has really helped me get my head around how to leverage AI for use in anti-corruption initiatives.
What is your favorite ACC event and why?
I am looking forward to the 29th Annual ACC Gala and Silent Auction with Malala Yousafzai in May. Her 2013 memoir is an inspiring read!
What’s something about you that fellow ACC SoCal members might be surprised to know?
Something old: I spent the first five years of my legal career in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Something new: I am studying to become a University of California, Master Gardener!
Learn more about ACC Membership Benefits here.
