In this episode of GC Sidebar, Sarah Wilson, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Circle, the global fintech behind USDC, a leading regulated stablecoin, joins host Trista Engel for a sharp conversation about leading through rapid regulation, building agile teams, and the GC’s role as a cross-functional “dot connector.”
From staying ahead of fast-evolving crypto and payments rules to hiring attorneys who can pivot, Sarah shares how she balances legal risk with business strategy, and why a calm, steady hand is a GC’s greatest asset. She traces a career spanning Sullivan & Cromwell, Ventas, Duly Health, and now Circle, reflects on bringing a business mindset to legal leadership, and tips her cap to Jack McCoy as a reminder that grit and dedication still carry the day.
Trista: Hi, I’m Trista Engel, CEO of Paragon Legal, and welcome to GC Sidebar, a short and sharp conversation series with today’s most forward-thinking general counsel. In just four questions, we cover the legal industry, leadership, careers, and a little fun.
Today I’m joined by Sarah Wilson, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Circle, a global financial technology firm behind USDC, a leading regulated stablecoin.
Sarah began her legal career at Sullivan & Cromwell before moving in-house to Ventas. She stepped into her first Chief Legal Officer role at Duly Health in 2021 before moving to Circle in 2023.
Sarah has fearlessly moved from property investments to patient care to public blockchains in a legal career that has tackled many frontiers.
Sarah, welcome and thank you for joining me.
Sarah: Thank you so much for having me.
Trista: Let’s jump in. What is the biggest challenge facing GCs and in-house legal teams today?
Sarah: Great question, Trista. As everyone knows, there are so many issues facing general counsels and their teams today. We have budgetary constraints, we have evolving regulatory schemes, especially in the area that I work in these days. There’s technology adoption that is ever-changing, and there are increasing workloads as we continue to be lean and mean teams.
I think staying abreast of the evolving legal frameworks, and all the regulatory changes at all levels, is a constant challenge. It’s also why I think it’s critical to hire agile attorneys who are able to pivot and advise on various areas of the changing law, and really dig in as the environment changes.
Trista: That’s a great point and a great way to think about how to build your team to manage these challenges.
Sarah: Yes, it’s very important to always focus on what the team should be composed of, as we all face changes in our industry and changes in the demands of the in-house legal team.
Trista: What part of your job would surprise people the most?
Sarah: I think what would surprise people the most about general counsels, and what most people think the job is, is that we sit and advise on legal issues throughout the day. I actually spend a great deal of time on business issues.
That’s because general counsels are the dot connectors at companies. They know what all the functions are trying to achieve, and therefore you start to think about the implications of a decision outside of just a legal question.
You help put people in connection with others. If someone brings me an issue, I’ll ask questions about who all cross-functionally has weighed in on it and signed off. I think that’s really important to do, and it encourages my team to also think about broader company issues and not just the legal question.
It’s important to think through what the business is trying to achieve and what other business leaders I need to speak with before I can really solve the legal issue at hand.
Trista: I love the idea of the dot connector. Legal really is one of the few fully cross-functional functions.
Sarah: Exactly, you have to be. You hear about so many things, you’re jumping from one functional area to another, but it gives you a really good perspective to make those connections. And it’s part of the fun of the job too.
Trista: Very cool. What’s the best career advice you’ve received or given?
Sarah: I’ve definitely received a lot of advice over the years. The one thing that has always resonated with me is something I often hear from board members, that general counsels need to be the company’s steady hand.
They should be calm and collected, even if there’s a storm brewing inside with everything going on in the business. You can’t let that phase you. You have to have a calm head on your shoulders, and you have to provide advice in a collected manner.
No one wants a general counsel running around with their hair on fire, because that just elevates everything else that’s going on. It’s really about being steady and providing great advice along the way by taking a deep breath and making sure you come across that way.
Trista: I love that. We can all use that advice.
If you weren’t an attorney, what would you be?
Sarah: If I wasn’t an attorney, I’d probably be in a business role or own my own business. I was a consultant before I went to law school, and I toyed with the idea of going to business school or doing both business and legal.
Ultimately, I decided I wanted to be a general counsel and went down that path. But I’ve always enjoyed solving strategic business issues, which is partly why being a general counsel is so fun. You get to solve business issues but also think through risks and legal matters all day long.
It’s one big case study, I feel like.
Trista: And that must make you an amazing general counsel because you’ve got that business mindset already.
Sarah: It definitely helps to have the business mindset.
Trista: And the bonus question: who is your favorite fictional lawyer?
Sarah: I’d have to go with Jack McCoy from Law & Order. He’s a civil servant, and through hard work and dedication, he rose to the ranks of DA in Manhattan. I love New York, and I love the message that it conveys, that through hard work and dedication you can progress in your career.
I don’t think enough shows focus on that aspect of being a great lawyer, that you get there through hard work and dedication.
Trista: That was really fun, Sarah. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and your thoughtful answers.
Sarah: Thanks for having me, Trista.
Trista: That’s a wrap on today’s episode of GC Sidebar. Catch more great conversations on our website at paragonlegal.com. Thanks for tuning in.
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