We recently caught up with Joshua Sills (NY/MD, ’16), Senior Counsel, Corporate Governance and Securities at Gap Inc. Joshua started as a Davis Polk associate in the Capital Markets group (where he had earlier worked as a legal assistant before law school) and Executive Compensation group in the New York office before transferring to the firm’s Madrid office in 2018.
Read on to learn about how Joshua’s experience in the Madrid office paved the way for his transition to an in-house role and his experience as in-house counsel for companies in varied industries.
Tell us about what drew you to move from the New York office to Madrid.
It was more of a chance happening that I ended up in the Madrid office. I’ve always been interested in Spanish and Hispanic culture. Before I came back to the firm as an associate, I lived in Nicaragua, where I worked with an NGO focused on education. I had also studied abroad in Argentina during college. So, when the firm sent around an email asking if anyone would be interested in a rotation in the Madrid office, I responded that I would without knowing if or when it would happen. A few months later I got an email that the firm needed an associate in the Madrid office, and few months after that I was on a one-way flight to Madrid. Working in Madrid was such a great experience – I got to do a wide range of corporate work for many different clients.
Do you have a memory of your time at Davis Polk that you would like to share?
I worked on a pro bono matter in which we won approval for a T visa, which is a special visa for victims of human trafficking. Our team was recognized by Sanctuary for Families at its annual gala. It was such a wonderful moment. Davis Polk’s commitment to pro bono is one of the reasons I came back to the firm as an associate.
Was there an individual (or individuals) at Davis Polk who played an especially important mentoring role for you during your time at the firm?
Maurice Blanco and Nick Kronfeld. When I was a legal assistant in the Capital Markets group, they gave me really substantive work and made me feel like a valued and important part of the team. Knowing that the firm treats everyone (lawyers and non-lawyers alike) as part of the same team is one of the reasons I went back to Davis Polk as an associate. I chose to rotate through the Capital Markets group and it was great to be working with Maurice and Nick again.
Also, Ed FitzGerald, who headed the Executive Compensation group. He is such a great lawyer, an expert in the field, and one of the nicest guys you could work for.
What advice have you received in the past that has served you well in your career?
If you make a mistake, it is OK! What matters more is how you handle it and find a solution (there is always one).
You moved back to New York and in-house to ViacomCBS in November 2020. Tell us about the experience moving to an in-house role.
In Madrid, the work I did spanned a number of areas from capital markets to M&A. This broad experience led me to ultimately pursue a career in-house with an even broader practice. In-house is a whole different ball game. I think one of the most challenging parts of moving in-house is losing all the resources you have at a firm (librarians who can help with research, great technology, experts you can bounce ideas off of). Learning to manage multiple demands with fewer resources takes time but made me a more resourceful lawyer. There are always curveballs or last-minute surprises that we need to manage through. I like to be a calming presence in those moments. I think a lot of the value I bring to the team is helping our business partners and ourselves think through issues clearly and succinctly when we are under time pressure.
You are now in the legal department of Gap overseeing Corporate Governance and Securities. Were there any particular challenges transitioning from media to fashion?
In my role, you need to know enough about the business to be dangerous, but the great thing about a background in securities and corporate governance is that it is transferable among all public companies. That’s also the case for many in-house roles – e.g., employment, IP, commercial contracts. I have former colleagues from Gap who have gone to work at all types of companies.
What advice would you give to lawyers interested in a career as in-house counsel at a public company?
I don’t think you can go wrong working in any practice group at Davis Polk if your goal is to move in-house. I have colleagues here at Gap who have backgrounds in larger corporate practices such as capital markets and M&A but also more specialized areas like executive compensation and IP. In-house is about managing a broader range of responsibilities. So, my advice to an associate who wants to move in-house is to take every opportunity to do something outside of your wheelhouse – whether that’s a deal for a different type of company, a new type of deal, or a rotation in a different practice area or office. It all adds up to having broader experience, which is really valued in-house.
Tell us about your typical weekend.
If it’s the winter, hopefully skiing up in Vermont. If it’s the summer, hopefully parked on a beach somewhere.