Mark LeHocky is the Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc. He unexpectedly changed his career path from political science to law after enjoying a constitutional law class. He began working for Dreyer's as outside litigation counsel and was later hired as their general counsel. As general counsel, LeHocky manages legal affairs and handles major disputes and transactions for the large international food company. He has overseen significant mergers and acquisitions. LeHocky believes that in-house attorneys must consider legal risks but also the overall interests of the company.

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Mark LeHocky, Vice President, General Counsel, and
Secretary of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc.,
Oakland, CA
[By Jen Woods]
Mark LeHocky made a career-altering decision when he decided to apply to law school just weeks before the application
deadline.
LeHocky, now the Vice President, General Dreyer’s, marketed under the Edy’s brand Large-scale international companies like
Counsel, and Secretary of Dreyer’s Grand Ice name east of the Rockies, is the country’s Dreyer’s are often involved in major legal
Cream Holdings, Inc., originally planned to largest manufacturer and distributor of ice disputes and transactions. LeHocky has
earn his graduate degree in political science. cream and frozen dairy products, with about been a part of several significant legal
However, he changed his mind after taking a $2.4 billion in annual revenue and more than issues. For instance, he negotiated the
class on constitutional law at the University 6,000 employees. Dreyer’s products, including Dreyer’s merger with Nestle, S.A., the
of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Edy’s, Nestle, Haagen-Dazs, and Skinny Cow world’s largest food company, and he also
Law. “I just loved the course,” he said. Also, products, are sold all around the world. oversaw the $71 million stock acquisition
his college mentors thought political science of Silhouette Brands, Inc., a frozen dessert
would be a “more limiting career,” he said. snack company. Altogether, LeHocky has
Advice to Young Lawyers managed the successful prosecution and
LeHocky, who has served as the Dreyer’s defense of intellectual property, antitrust,
general counsel for six years, began working “In order to be successful, lawyers franchise, contract, and employment
for the company as an outside litigations must be “ able to understand actions resulting in more than $40 million in
counsel. He was first hired to defend recoveries and avoided liabilities.
and evaluate risk appropriately,”
Dreyer’s in an antitrust lawsuit, and after a
LeHocky said. “Lawyers sometimes
successful outcome, he continued to work Since in-house attorneys are susceptible to
as an outside counsel for three years. Then, get too focused on creating a their companies’ overall well-being, they
after successfully handling a major crisis for risk-free environment.? Instead, have vested interests in their economic
Dreyer’s, “they asked me to come in and be they should learn how to “get success. Therefore, the ultimate goals of
their general counsel,” LeHocky said. comfortable with risk as a the company must be taken into account
LeHocky’s main responsibilities include when handling each and every legal issue.
company,” he explained.
managing the office administration, “I think it’s really, really important to focus
supervising outside counsel, and developing on the big picture at all times,” LeHocky
A certain amount of risk is
strategies to handle all major disputes. He said. In-house attorneys must consider the
unavoidable, and it?s not always
frequently handles acquisitions, large-scale impact different legal situations will have on
disputes, and international transactions, a bad thing, said LeHocky. He the company as a whole, he said. “It’s kind
as well as public policy, antitrust, and added, “The things that don?t kill of like seeing the forest or seeing the trees,”
employee-related issues. “Since we’re in you make you stronger.” LeHocky, he added.
the food business, there are a lot of issues who has been exposed to private
relating to food safety,” LeHocky said. LeHocky is also an appointed mediator for
practice, said he thinks “some
federal antitrust, intellectual property, and
LeHocky has learned to expect the lawyers have too much of a Chicken
commercial litigation for the United States
unexpected when it comes to work. “It’s Little mentality.” They seem to District Court of Northern California. The
just on any given day you run into virtually think ?the sky is falling all the problem-solving and negotiation skills he
everything,” he said, adding, “Almost time.” However, few problems are uses as a mediator have also been essential
everything is out of the ordinary. There’s in his current position as General Counsel,
actually very big problems. “You
such a broad array of work that you he said.
just have to figure out how to work
encounter with a large company, especially
one that is very, very large in size and has through them.”
operations throughout the world.”
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LeHocky is on the Board of Directors for the Gate University School of Law and the University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall)
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall University of California, Hastings, School of School of Law
School of Law Alumni Association. He is also Law. www.law.berkeley.edu/
a former member of the executive council of
the antitrust and unfair competition section The State Bar of California
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of the State Bar of California and a former www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_
president of the Orinda Youth Association. home.jsp
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc.
He has taught law courses at the Golden www.dreyers.com/main/index.asp?b=104
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