Evolution of Agile Lawyering In-House Counsel as a Strategic Asset

Michael Grazio, Assistant General Counsel, Digital Payments and Labs, Mastercard
Jonathan Anastasia, Senior Managing Counsel,, Mastercard
Paul Petta, General Counsel for Global Businesses, Mastercard

In-house counsel faces a new reality and challenge. The world and business have gone from analog to digital. Innovation, speed, digital technology and the internet have transformed how to manage and derive value for organizations – including the role of in-house counsel. In this dynamic landscape, the Mastercard legal department has adopted the strategies and techniques of Agile Management to add strategic value to the organization. Traditionally, in-house lawyers have focused on how to avoid or minimize risk. However, in this digital age, lawyers have more information than ever before about how businesses operate and what risks and opportunities exist. For businesses, it is time to rethink and create new and expanded roles for in-house counsel. The quest is to capitalize on the strategic and business knowledge that counsel offers for a competitive advantage. Mastercard’s legal department has employed this strategy with success and can share some of the lessons learned in adopting Agile Lawyering for other companies.

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USA Management Banking & Finance June 2018 Vol.11, No. 43, Spring 2018

Michael Grazio

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Michael L. Grazio is Assistant General Counsel supporting Digital Payments and Labs at Mastercard. In his role, Mr. Grazio is responsible for leading a global team that provides support for innovation and product development that enables Mastercard’s Digital Payments business. His team provides integrated legal and transactional support with partners such as Alphabet (Google), Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, PayPal, Square and other digital customers. His team is also responsible for providing legal support in connection with the evolution of the Mastercard standards for digital activities. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Grazio was Managing Counsel for Privacy and Data Protection at Mastercard where he led a team providing privacy support in connection with product development for Global Core Products, Digital Payments, Labs and Marketing teams. He was also responsible for privacy and data protection due diligence, assessing the privacy practices of potential acquisition targets and managing integration of acquisitions into Mastercard’s Global Privacy and Data Protection program. Earlier in his career at Mastercard, Michael was Worldwide Marketing and Communications Counsel where he supported various business units with their sponsorship, advertising, promotion and marketing needs. Before joining Mastercard in 2006, Mr. Grazio worked in-house at Reebok International Ltd. and as an associate in the Advertising, Marketing and Media Division of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP. Mr. Grazio graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Psychology from Ithaca College in 1992. After a successful career in the advertising business as an account executive for Time Warner, he received a Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University School of Law in 2000. He is a member of both the Massachusetts and New York bars and is CIPM and CIPP/US certified.

Jonathan Anastasia

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Jonathan J. Anastasia is Senior Managing Counsel supporting Mastercard Labs at Mastercard. In his role, Jonathan is responsible for leading a team that helps drive innovation across all products at Mastercard. His team provides integrated legal and transactional support in the development of products and services in the areas of blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, internet-of-things, chatbots, conversational commerce, mobile applications, digital & product consulting and data research. Before joining Mastercard, Jonathan was in the Intellectual Property group of Crowell & Moring LLP. Jonathan graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. After serving as a Captain in the United States Army, he received a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School.

Paul Petta

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Paul G. Petta is Chief Franchise Officer at Mastercard. In this capacity, Mr. Petta has responsibility for the full suite of global franchise functions for Mastercard. He and his team enable new and existing business at scale through licensing, registration, brand standards and exploring new ways to leverage our brands, platforms and network and have full accountability for supporting healthy business growth by preventing, detecting, and remediating undue risk. Prior to assuming this role, Mr. Petta served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Global Businesses. He was responsible for leading the Global Businesses Legal Team consisting of 80+ lawyers and legal professionals located around the globe. The team was tasked with providing integrated world-wide legal support to Mastercard's full suite of businesses, mergers & acquisitions, public and private partnerships, intellectual property matters, technology operations, franchise operations and all products and services, including: Fintech & Digital Products, Core Consumer & Commercial Payments, Loyalty Solutions, Advertising, Marketing, Communications, Operations and Technology, Enterprise Security Solutions, Processing, the Advisors Data Services & Consulting Business and the Mastercard Labs innovation incubator. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Petta has also served as Group Executive, Senior Associate General Counsel, Group Head, Global Markets Managing Counsel and Vice President, Managing Global Key, U.S. Regional, Key and National Accounts Counsel. Before joining Mastercard, he was an associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions Department at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, an international law firm located in New York City, where he represented clients in connection with public and private company mergers, stock purchases, asset purchases, spin-offs, venture capital investments, joint ventures, and public and private securities offerings. Mr. Petta graduated, cum laude, from The College of the Holy Cross and received a Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was elected to the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, where he served as editor, and to the Order of the Coif at Penn. Mr. Petta is a member of the Bar in New York and Connecticut. He is also an active member of the New York State Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the American Corporate Counsel Association.

Mastercard

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Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

USA Management Banking & Finance June 2018 Vol.11, No. 43, Spring 2018

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