Leila S.
5.0
Studied at Santa Clara University School of Law
Works at Salesforce
Not currently taking new clients
Leila can still be messaged
About Leila
I went to law school with the intention of becoming a Deputy District Attorney ("DDA"), or in other words, a criminal prosecutor. I've always been interested in the criminal justice system and thought being a trial lawyer would be a rewarding career choice. At the time, I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area, which has the most competitive DDA roles in country because of the higher government pay. I worked hard, focused on my goal, and was eventually sworn in as DDA for San Mateo County - one of the proudest moments of my life! However, it wasn't long before I realized there was a disconnect with how I thought I would feel practicing as a DDA to what it actually felt like. Talk about a tough pill to swallow, especially so early on in my career. I was terrified to go back to the drawing board, but I couldn't ignore what my gut was telling me. I subsequently went through an intensive networking phase in my life where I reflected on other areas of interest. This process eventually led me to do a 180, and work as a political law transactional attorney at a firm advising Fortune 100 tech companies on how to comply with complex, nuanced regulations. Over 3.5 years I built up a subject matter expertise, but always knew that law firm life wasn't the right fit for me long-term. So once again, towards the end of 2019 and in the beginning of a global pandemic, I found myself pivoting and trying to figure out how I could make the jump in-house with only a few years of legal practice experience under my belt. Through a series of trial and error, I learned how to search for the corporate counsel job postings that were most complimentary to my skillset, market myself and my resume effectively so I could get a recruiter's attention, and how to prep for multiple-round interviews with highly sought-after tech companies. Even after I was offered an in-house legal position, it wasn't immediate smooth sailing. It took some time before I truly landed a dream role that has now up-leveled my life and excited me for the long-term possibilities in my legal career. What makes me a great coach is my empathy for the struggle because nothing has been handed to me. I have had to be resourceful, resilient, intentional and regularly self-examine how I can modify my approach in order to achieve my goals. It's my intention to impart the wisdom and lessons I've gleaned over the past 8.5 years to my clients, so they can excel in their current situation, or find the strength and develop the strategy to pivot to a different, and better suited, opportunity.
Why do I coach?
I coach because I am passionate about helping others, I value self-improvement, and I've experienced the first-hand benefits of working with a career coach. No one is going to be a bigger advocate for your career than you are, and it's important to have a safe space outside of your current work environment where you can bounce ideas off of a mentor who has no agenda other than wanting you to succeed in obtaining a fulfilling career.
Work Experience
Corporate Counsel, Ethics & Integrity
Salesforce
November 2021 - Present
Lead Counsel overseeing Salesforce's global lobbying & political compliance program, including day-to-day counseling on highly regulated activities. Design and automate compliance programs, processes and controls to scale. Outside Business Activity Committee Chair (April 2022 - July 2023)
Senior Compliance Counsel
Snowflake
2021 - 2021
First hire on a newly established anti-corruption team tasked with building out, automating and operating processes to observe DOJ compliance guidance. Worked cross-functionally with all major business functions and was the initial point of contact for employees' compliance needs.
Legal Counsel
Apple
2020 - 2020
Supported Apple's interactions with the public sector by maintaining compliance with lobbying, campaign finance, gift, conflict of interest and ethics regulations throughout the United States at the federal, state and local level. Provided strategic legal guidance and compliance trainings for the government affairs and public sector sales teams. Independent contractor opportunity via Axiom Global Inc.
Associate Attorney
Politicom Law LLP
2016 - 2020
Politicom Law's bipartisan political law practice empowers Fortune 100 clients with legal counsel concerning complex lobbying regulations, campaign finance requirements, election laws, "pay-to-play" restrictions, and government ethics and gifting nationwide. I advised corporate government affairs teams with multi-state lobby compliance and campaign contribution compliance programs at the federal, state and local level. I was a legal secondee at Google from September 2017 - March 2018. I worked cross-functionally with the public sector sales, marketing and government affairs teams by resolving over 400 legal questions concerning compliance with government ethics regulations.
Deputy District Attorney
San Mateo County District Attorney's Office
2014 - 2016
Lead prosecutor for jury trials and pre-trial hearings. Cases included, but not limited to DUIs, prostitution, child endangerment, drug distribution, personal possession, stolen identity, criminal threats, traffic stops, vehicle theft and three strikes hearings. Worked closely with police officers, victims, witnesses and other stakeholders to resolve criminal justice issues. Achieved a high conviction rate while balancing a demanding caseload in a fast-paced environment.
Education
Santa Clara University School of Law
Juris Doctorate (J.D.)
2012 - 2015
Activities and societies: Criminal Law Society Executive Board Member; Community Service Committee Secretary
San Diego State University
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations; Political Science
2008 - 2012
Magna Cum Laude, graduated with distinction in Journalism
3 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Leila has helped clients get into these comapnies: