The issues these top lawyers have handled range from the momentous, such as whether the United States should go to war, to the less serious (though still notable), such as how to draft multimillion-dollar contracts for pitching sensations. Some on The National Law Journal‘s list of 20 in-house counsel oversee huge operations—including one responsible for 10,000 lawyers. Others are joined by just a few attorneys and work mostly on regional issues. One thing each has in common: They’ve dedicated themselves to running efficient offices and to providing top-quality ­service to their clients. They’re legal generalists by necessity, a feature of the job they love. “That’s the challenge of the work, and the best part of my work,” said one. “My day is never the same.”

Terrence B. Adamson
National Geographic Society