In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to acknowledge the historic, political, social, and professional contributions of women. In honor of Women’s History Month, we are celebrating female leaders by honoring one of our very own. Boon’s General Counsel, Kristin Goodale, took a moment to discuss her role as a leader at Boon and to offer her insight as a female leader in her field.
About Kristin Goodale
Kristin Goodale has been an attorney for 31 years, of which more than 20 have been with Boon. Kristin joined Boon as General Counsel back when Boon was a much smaller company after seven years of experience as a litigator. During her tenure at Boon, Kristin has been responsible for all legal affairs of Boon and its subsidiaries. This includes overseeing the review and negotiation of all contracts and agreements and advising on a variety of business, labor and employment, and regulatory issues.
Kristin graduated in 1991 from the University of Texas School of Law with honors and is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, the American Bar Association, the Texas State Bar Association, and the Travis County Bar Association. Not only has Kristin been a leader in benefits and the legal field, but she is certainly a leader at Boon.
On Developments in the Government Contracting Space
It comes as no surprise that the government contracting industry has grown and changed a great deal over the past 23 years. Here’s what Kristin had to say on her observations as a leader in the space:
“The government contracting industry has grown, and regulations regarding healthcare and employee benefits have multiplied exponentially. I have also witnessed a massive uptick in Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour investigations as well as a significant shift in how Wage and Hour regulations are interpreted by the DOL investigators. In my position as General Counsel, I have handled a wide range of corporate legal issues but continue to specialize in government contractor and prevailing wage issues and related DOL investigations.”
For 40 years, Boon has been creating adaptable solutions to the constantly evolving benefits landscape. Kristin has been instrumental in our ability to provide that advantage to our clients.
On Equality and the Experiences of Women in Law
“The practice of law has changed for women over the past 31 years, although it certainly has far to go before it reaches true equality” Kristin says. “You now see more women in law school and more women in the courtroom.”
Kristin goes on to describe the distinct differences in her experience as a clerk, starting out, and the experiences of her male counterparts:
“Because there were fewer women in law school, there were also fewer women doing summer legal clerkships. One notable difference during those summers was that the women were expected to remain in the law library (there were still books of caselaw), conduct research and write legal briefs, while their male counterparts spent their clerkships on the golf courses or being schmoozed by the firm’s partners over extended lunches.”
When asked how those experiences impacted her career choices and outcomes, Kristin confidently asserts that she fared for the better:
“I can’t opine at this point as to how much that may have changed in the past three decades, since I avoided ‘big law’ after those summers and instead went to work for small law firms and companies like Boon that valued a leader’s contributions without regard for gender. As a matter of fact, in the not-too-distant past, Boon had more female executives than males!”
After years of admirable leadership and service at Boon, Kristin Goodale will be retiring at the end of March 2022. Her impact at Boon and in the professional community is undeniable, and she leaves behind a legacy of tenacity and capable leadership.
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