In-House Counsel: Louis Lambert

Listen to this article

Before hiring Louis Lambert late last year, Medina-based Polaris Industries had no “senior assistant general counsel and assistant secretary,” the expansive dual role Lambert now inhabits.
Previously, Lambert’s assumed responsibilities were split across two positions. The newly created role consolidates those duties in a single, broadly scoped senior position, said Lambert.
Lambert’s oversight responsibilities include SEC/NYSE reporting and compliance, corporate treasury and executive compensation matters, and corporate governance issues. At a mid-sized public firm like Polaris, it’s a lot for one person to handle, but Lambert’s new bosses were clearly impressed by his eight-year tenure as associate general counsel at General Mills.
The pinnacle of Lambert’s General Mills run came last year, when General Mills acquired natural pet foods giant Blue Buffalo in an $8 billion all-cash transaction facilitated by a $1 billion secondary equity offering and $6 billion debt offering – the first and largest, respectively, in the company’s history.
Lambert is quickly settling into his new role. Managing securities compliance and investor relations is a major demand on his time – one he didn’t have to deal with at General Mills. At Polaris, it’s Lambert’s job to help staff prepare scripts and presentations for earnings calls, review investor communications, and “make sure everything is SEC-compliant as it’s going out the door,” he said.
Lambert is also the point person for Polaris’ busy M&A shop – more familiar territory. In November, he oversaw the company’s acquisition of Monticello-based WSI Industries, a longtime Polaris supplier.
Although Lambert has nothing but praise for his former colleagues at General Mills, he doesn’t deny his affinity for his new employer’s “fast-paced” culture.
“Polaris is a powersports company,” said Lambert. “The environment is more aggressive, entrepreneurial – it’s a fun shift.”
That’s not to say Lambert spends all his free time on an ATV. As a member of the board of the Minnesota chapter of JDRF, he’s among the state’s top fundraisers for Type 1 diabetes research. He’s also a champion of diversity in the legal profession, most notably as a past fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.