Ivan Fong

Medtronic

Ivan Fong retired as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Medtronic in July 2025 after a distinguished four-decade career marked by principled leadership and unwavering commitment to the legal profession’s foundational values.

Beginning his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Abner J. Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the U.S. Supreme Court, Fong built a career serving as general counsel to major corporations and government agencies. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, chief legal officer and secretary of Cardinal Health, senior vice president and general counsel of GE Vendor Financial Services, and was a partner at Covington & Burling LLP. At 3M, where he served as executive vice president, chief legal and policy officer and secretary from 2012 to 2022, his legal department was named Best Legal Department by the American Lawyer.

During his final year at Medtronic, Fong demonstrated exceptional courage by becoming one of only a few sitting corporate general counsel to sign an amicus brief supporting a law firm targeted by an executive order. “Our adversarial system of justice depends on the ability of competent counsel to defend their clients’ interests without fear of retribution,” he explained. “My involvement in that case, including recruiting former general counsel to join the effort, was one of the most consequential personal and professional decisions I made in 2025.”

Throughout his career, Fong championed access to justice and diversity in the legal profession. He built and reinvigorated pro bono programs at multiple organizations and chaired the board of Equal Justice Works, helping launch law school graduates into public interest careers. He served on numerous bar association boards and helped found the Minnesota Coalition of Bar Associations of Color.

Fong serves on the Council of the American Law Institute as treasurer and on the board of the Center for AI and Digital Policy. Reflecting on his career, he noted, “Easily my most significant career accomplishment has been the impact I’ve had on the many people I’ve been privileged to work with, lead, and teach.”