Reebok

In this installment of The In-House Advisor, we interview Keith Wexelblatt, Associate General Counsel at Reebok International Ltd. After being in private practice for 5 years, Keith joined Reebok as in-house counsel in 1998. In his present role, Keith manages the litigation and employment work for Reebok and various of its affiliates. In addition, he oversees all the legal work for, and leads the HR department of, Montreal based Reebok-CCM Hockey.

The In-House Advisor (IHA): The role of in-house counsel has changed a lot since you first went in-house. How do you see that role changing going forward and how can today’s in-house counsel prepare for those changes?

Keith Wexelblatt (KW): In-house practice has changed dramatically in my 16 years while at Reebok. Attorneys must now manage issues with less internal resources and follow directives to utilize outside firms to a lesser degree as cost concerns play an even bigger role in the decision-making process. You must assume even greater risks, but still maintain an ability to distinguish between knowledgeable risk-taking actions and recklessness. Also, the amount of change in technology, social media and legislation insures rapid and constant change, which places extra burdens on keeping abreast of these … Keep reading