Russell Hill - An Inspirational Story of Success and Determination

Russell Hill joins Brian Roberts in The Attorney Lounge to share his background growing up in a blue-collar family and his military career before transitioning to law. He discusses his experience in the military, including his time in the National Guard and later in the Marine Corps. He talks about the physical demands of military training, including jumping out of airplanes, and shares a harrowing experience of a parachute jump gone wrong. Russ also explains how he transitioned from the military to pursuing a career in law, including earning one of the top LSAT scores in the country and acceptance into many top law schools, eventually choosing to attend UC Berkeley School of Law on a full tuition scholarship. During law school, Russ worked on Law Review and finished near the top of his class. Following graduation, he took a position as an intellectual property attorney at Morrison Foerster and later at Howrey. He then transitioned in-house counsel at Lenovo, where he eventually became the Chief IP Counsel. After Lenovo, he joined a helicopter company in Vancouver, Canada, to prepare it for an IPO. However, the company faced a major setback when one of its aircraft crashed due to a manufacturing defect. Despite the challenges, Russ successfully navigated through various roles and built a strong legal team. Russ then became Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Counsel at Logitech and he talks about the supportive and inspiring leadership at Logitech and the opportunities he had to work on major transactions. While at Logitech, Russ describes how he survived a life-threatening bicycle accident where he broke 12 vertebrae and severed his spinal cord leaving him paralyzed. Russ shares how his military background and fighting spirit helped him survive through the accident and recovery process. His incredible spirit and determination are truly inspiring and Russ highlights the importance of giving back and his involvement as a Board member with the Micronutrient Forum. Russ's story is a testament to resilience, determination, positive energy and the power of a supportive community.