Member in the Spotlight allows us to get up-close and personal with some of our ACC Australia members. This week we are shining the spotlight on Cathy Hoyle, GC and CoSec, Enero Group, winner of the ‘Small Legal Team of the Year’ at the 2021 ACC Australia Corporate Lawyer Awards, and a guest on Season 3 of the In-house Insiders podcast series.
Tell us about your current role.
I am the GC and CoSec for Enero Group which is listed on the ASX. We are a collection of modern marketing agencies based here in Australia, but we have businesses and offices around the World. I have been in the role for 9 years – and I have to say no one of those years has been anything like that one it follows!
What do you believe is the most important skill an in-house lawyer needs?
The ability to prioritise. We have such a varied set of tasks we need to accomplish each day, week, month that it easy to try to get through the quick win tasks first when there may be more important and business critical matters that need your attention.
What led you to pursue an in-house legal role?
I wanted to be part of the solution not the problem😊. But no seriously, in-house you are invested in your advice and decisions that you make or influence you get to see through. I find private practice a bit limiting in that you often didn’t see the results of your advice all the way through. In-house you can be involved right from ideation through to it popping up as an ad on your TV.
What advice would you offer to in-house counsel in building relationships within their organisations?
No relationship no influence – a mantra of a colleague of mine that has stuck with me. It is critical to know your business and know the people in it at every level. Being approachable is a job requirement. Personally I have found taking the time to run seminars and workshops when I am in an office (particularly overseas) is a great way to connect with your non-legal colleagues and for them to see you are human and maybe even have a sense of humour!
What is the one thing a law degree doesn’t teach you about being an in-house lawyer?
There is too much emphasis that getting a job at a top-tier law firm equals success. An in-house role is incredibly challenging and rewarding and just as good (well I would say better).
What are the biggest changes you’ve witnessed across the legal sector since you joined the profession?
The challenges of the use of technologies. We recently implemented matter management SaaS and it has been really valuable for us, and we are only just at the start of that. On the flipside, the use of social messaging apps, AI and the ongoing and unrelenting move to digital everything I think keeps every lawyer awake at night.
Finish this sentence… If I wasn’t a lawyer I’d be…
an interior designer or architect. I am obsessed (but I am from Sydney so real estate obsessed right?)
I like being a part of the ACC Australia community because…
Phenomenal CLE opportunities with the ACC partners that really meet the needs of our small legal team needs is the standout. The regular events where we can mix with our own are invaluable too.
Cathy Hoyle features on Season 3 of In-house Insiders, ACC Australia’s exciting podcast series.
Navigating global challenges as an in-house lawyer
Cathy Hoyle is the General Counsel and Company Secretary of Enero, an international network of marketing and communications businesses. Following a ten-year-long stint in the music industry in Los Angeles, Cathy retrained as a lawyer but never lost her passion for working with creative people. Cathy and her team were also the winners of the Small Legal Team of the Year Award at the 2021 ACC Corporate Lawyer of the Year Awards.
In this episode, Cathy explains how she got her start in the music industry, and how she made the transition to law. She breaks down what it's like working at a global company like Enero, and shares the importance of maintaining good relationships. Plus, Cathy shares her insights about working in a small legal team, before reflecting on her 2021 award win.
Listen now and listen free!