Top General Counsels to Watch in 2022

by WashingtonExec Staff Writer

Innovating government from within so services and processes are more efficient requires more than emerging technologies and IT modernization strategies. It requires compliance, reporting and regulations that don't often make the headlines but nonetheless make it all possible. With every proposal, contract award or technology, GovCon in-house lawyers ensure the deals are secure, the technology is legal and everything involved stays within government requirements.

General counsels oversee the entire lifecycle of legal matters, from contracts and compliance to navigating all elements of government reporting requirements and regulations. As you'll read, this can include intellectual property and data rights, industrial security and foreign ownership laws, export controls and more. For WashingtonExec's Top General Counsels to Watch in 2022, we identified the general counsels in GovCon enabling companies to provide government customers with what they need securely and legally to keep the nation moving forward.

… … …

Erika Schenk

Global General Counsel, Executive Vice President of Compliance/ESG, WWT

Erika Schenk joined WWT in 2014 as its first general counsel. Prior to that, she worked in-house at Boeing, and before that, she was partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.

In her current role, Schenk leads WWT's global legal, contracting and compliance efforts, government affairs, environmental, health and safety, and environmental, social and governance strategy and reporting. She is active in WWT's DEI initiatives, serving as a member of WWT's ERG Advisory Council, Women's LEAD ERG advisory board and PRIDE ERG executive sponsor.

Why Watch

Schenk operates a lean department focused on driving business results. WWT has seen sustained, dynamic growth since its inception, doubling every five years. One of WWT's core values is "embracing change" – and the speed of WWT's growth requires it.

WWT deepened its commitment to sustainability this year by signing the U.N.'s Race to Zero in line with the Science Based Targets initiative.