Two years ago, Celeste Flippen was a full-time in-house litigator at J.C. Penney Co. Inc. And like many corporate counsel, she had no idea where she’d go from there. Then, executive vice president and general counsel Joanne Bober joined the Plano, Texas-based company and introduced an in-house version of a law firm career track. It rewards hardworking attorneys by moving them up a four-step ladder.
Flippen was promoted to senior managing counsel in Penney’s litigation department and is now in charge of docketing, assigning cases, and managing junior attorneys. The 11-year Penney veteran says, “I feel more a part of the company now, like a partner in a law firm.”
