Lifetime Achievement Award

Litigation of counsel Thomas Gottschalk received a Lifetime Achievement Award at Corporate Board Member’s seventh annual Legal Recognition Dinner on May 13, 2014, in New York.

The award is given to general counsel who have admirably performed their duties while being important advisers to their companies’ boards.  Criteria used in making this award include performance with a high standard of ethics, commitment to integrity, an ability to build an effective team and a passion for making a difference within the company, the broader industry and the broader society.

Tom was general counsel of General Motors Corporation from 1994 to 2006 and held other leadership roles, including executive vice president for law and public policy, during his tenure at the company.  The award also reflects Tom’s long-term commitment to community service and pro bono work. While at General Motors he formalized the company’s pro bono program and was instrumental in the formation of the Detroit Legal Services Clinic. After returning to Kirkland in 2007, Tom served as chair of the Firm’s pro bono committee for five years and co-founded Jeremiah’s Circle of Friends, a D.C.-based pro bono legal clinic.