Chidera Dawodu was a litigation associate focused on trademarks and advertising in our Palo Alto office before going in-house at Meta in 2024 as lead counsel, intellectual property (IP), working closely with business teams to enable innovation while managing risk. We recently spoke with Chidera about her career path, tips for those considering moving to an in-house counsel role, and how her time at Wilson Sonsini helped to shape the next stage of her career.

Did you choose your career, or did it choose you?

I chose law. I was in college when I was first exposed to the legal profession in two different ways: through an internship with the Council of Better Business Bureaus in its trademark enforcement department and through the Charles Hamilton Houston Pre Law Institute, where I was introduced to legal concepts and learned from practicing attorneys.

Both experiences were fascinating and genuinely enjoyable. I built relationships with mentors and friends who are still in the legal profession and whom I’m still in touch with today. After those experiences, I was convinced that I wanted to pursue a career in law.

I would say that my current role chose me as much as I chose it. For the first several years of my legal career, I primarily litigated intellectual property matters. At Wilson Sonsini, I had the opportunity to expand into a more advisory role, including in advertising counseling. That experience was unique and gave me exposure I might not otherwise have had.

I became particularly interested in advertising and advertising platforms, including Meta. When I saw the opportunity to join Meta as IP counsel focused on trademarks and counterfeits, I hadn’t previously worked in-house or at a platform company. But I understood advertising, the importance of brand identity and reputation, and the legal and business considerations involved in enforcing IP—I had spent years helping companies build and protect their brands through global trademark strategies.

I also brought skills that translate particularly well to an in-house environment: communicating succinctly with busy business leaders, understanding a client’s priorities, and exercising sound judgment in service of the business. Those skills ultimately helped me stand out as an applicant, and Meta chose to bring me in. 

Could you tell us a bit more about your career trajectory, including your time at Wilson Sonsini? What did you learn from your time at the firm?

After a couple years focused primarily on litigation, I wanted to experience more of the front end of trademark protection, such as brand counseling, strategic trademark filings and pre-litigation enforcement. The Trademark and Advertising practice at Wilson Sonsini offered the opportunity to do that while also giving me significant exposure into advertising counseling.

I learned much more than just the law. Most importantly, I learned what it means to be a trusted advisor. I learned to communicate clearly and concisely, to know my subject matter deeply, and to understand my clients not simply as clients, but as people with their own priorities, working styles, and needs.

I also learned to view my colleagues as trusted advisors. I had tremendous working relationships with the partners, associates, paralegals and executive assistants that I worked with and I admired the partners' leadership and ability to build strong, collegial teams. I saw firsthand what it takes to lead a team and maintain a positive culture.

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow at Wilson Sonsini. Those lessons have shaped how I approach my current role and are ones I expect to carry throughout my career.

How have you found the experience of moving in-house? Any advice for those looking to do the same?

Moving in-house has been enlightening, exciting, challenging and rewarding. I’ve found the combination of intellectually interesting work, great colleagues, and the opportunity to work across disciplines, particularly satisfying. One of the biggest differences is seeing the full context of the work. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with people across product, policy, marketing, sales, and other teams, and have had to learn how to speak their respective languages.

I’ve also learned to put on my business hat. In-house counsel are not just identifying legal risks; we are helping the business achieve its objectives. That means working collaboratively with teams to identify practical risk mitigations and, often, finding solutions that satisfy multiple objectives at once. That is both a skill and an art.

For lawyers considering a move in-house, my advice is to develop the skills that law school doesn’t necessarily teach you. Invest in your communication and presentation skills. Learn how to collaborate effectively. Understand the businesses you advise. Learn how to manage up. Being able to anticipate what your stakeholders need and communicating effectively with senior leaders are invaluable skills.

How have you been able to achieve work-life balance, and what do you do to unwind?

I like to think I’ve always prioritized work-life balance by setting clear boundaries and expectations. Of course, things happen and sometimes you have to adjust. But generally speaking, I have been happy with the balance I’ve created.

To unwind, I love road trips. Being on the road, whether traveling solo or with my family, gives me the opportunity to slow down, think, and experience somewhere new. Most recently, my husband and I took a trip to Santa Barbara, which was a wonderful chance to recharge.

What’s something interesting that people would be surprised to learn about you?

I once ran a pop-up restaurant selling puff puff, a Nigerian treat that I love making. What started as something I enjoyed making for friends and family turned into a small business. I loved the creativity of it, and, of course, having an excuse to make a lot of puff puff! It was a fun and unexpected chapter of my life and a very different kind of entrepreneurial experience from practicing law.