Alex Stark (Corporate IP, 2014-2019) Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Private Sales, Sotheby’s, practiced in the firm’s Corporate Department. Alex received his B.A. from Purchase College and his J.D. from New York Law School.

1. What are the most challenging aspects of your job? How has your experience at Paul, Weiss helped you in your current role?

As an associate in the IP & Technology Transactions Group at Paul, Weiss, I learned to balance a high volume of time-sensitive matters with competing timelines. That skill has been immensely useful in my current role as in-house counsel at Sotheby’s, where there is a small legal team, and I am required to manage a constant flow of high-priority matters while providing the highest level of services to both the business and our outside clients. The daily process of triaging pressing issues is challenging but familiar after my time at Paul, Weiss.

2. What traits do you think make a good in-house counsel?

From my own experience and what have I seen from others in this role, it is clear that one of the most important traits is to understand all the nuances of the business. This requires a constant curiosity about the roles of the various departments (for me, those include operations, risk, shipping, editorial, auction and private sales), as well as what challenges they are facing and how I can help. When I first started, I made it a priority to set up meetings with team members across the business, which allowed me to not only learn about these departments but also meet many of my co-workers, and I have forged long-term relationships with those internal clients.

3. Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself as a younger lawyer?

I would tell myself to set goals early in my career and to begin working toward them right away—but not to be afraid if your goals change along the way. I would also tell myself that building a strong professional network is a commitment that can be challenging given the demands of being a junior associate, but it’s an important investment to make yourself, take the time to meet new lawyers, attend legal events, and learn from the lawyers around you. At Paul, Weiss, you have the opportunity to work with and meet some of the smartest and most engaged people in the profession, so try to capitalize on that opportunity.