Career Confidential Jessica Woodward

CAREER CONFIDENTIAL
JESSICA WOODWARD

Jessica Woodward

Everyone listens to everyone else and contributes ideas for different approaches and improvements.


What is your title? How long have you been with CSC’s Global Financial Markets?

I’ve been senior transaction manager with CSC’s Global Financial Markets on the independent director team for three and a half years.

Give us a little insight into what you do.

As transaction manager my role is twofold. My primary day-to-day role involves setting up new appointments. I review operating agreements and set up appointments, making sure that from a legal standpoint the independent director is protected for any personal liability or liabilities of the company itself as well as ensuring the role of the individual independent director is limited.

The second part of my role is I serve as independent director for our clients, and I’m involved if they need to file for bankruptcy. In the independent director role, I meet with their representatives and counsel to determine if bankruptcy is the best action for the company. As I was previously a practicing attorney in the bankruptcy arena, I also assist other team members with the bankruptcy process if they’re serving as independent director.

Why did you choose to work for CSC?

This is my third stint with CSC! I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2006 and was on the fence about whether I wanted to go to law school or not. I took a year to work and study for the LSAT (law school admission test). My sister-in-law worked in the CSC marketing department and said a position in the litigation management department might help me decide about a career in law. I started at the bottom scanning documents and worked up to reviewing all the documents and passing them along to the appropriate legal contacts. I returned to the litigation management department for a summer while in law school as well.

After I graduated, I worked for smaller firms in consumer bankruptcy representing debtors and then switched to the creditor side. Working for a law f irm didn’t quite fit my goals and personality. I was always on the lookout for something that would utilize my skills within a different, non-traditional setting. I saw a posting for the independent director role and was hired in 2019.

What has your career path looked like at CSC? Has someone helped you?

Yes. Michelle has been my manager since I’ve been with the independent director team. She’s really hands on with development and good at seeing the path forward where we can utilize and hone my skills for my career forward with CSC.

What are some of the coolest things about working at CSC?

CSC is not like anywhere else that I’ve worked. Even though it’s a large company with offices all over the globe, it still has a small company feel. You know people. For example, the president of the business unit’s office is at the end of my row. If I’m in the office I can pop over and say hi. That’s something you just don’t get everywhere.

What makes your team different?

It’s a unique experience that a lot of us are attorneys and we’ve worked in different law and legal settings before coming to CSC. We bring diverse experiences. For example, my prior experience was primarily bankruptcy, while someone else on the team has more litigation experience. We bring unique perspectives to the transaction work and our team is open and welcoming. Everyone listens to everyone else and contributes ideas for different approaches and improvements. The level of inclusiveness and collaboration is unlike other places that I have worked.

What are you learning right now and why is it important?

Sometimes the newer or unique transactions fall to me, so today I’m reading a Canadian corporation statue. The client asked if the project is something we could do, and so I’m reading the statue and researching to see if we’ve done something similar in the past. Most of my job is doing Delaware work but occasionally we have something unique. That’s what keeps it exciting—when you get to learn new things on the job.

What’s the work-life balance like? Are you supported pursuing interests outside of work?

Our team has a good work-life balance. In the legal field, sometimes we receive emails at midnight or 2 a.m. from larger firms. And sometimes we need to work outside of our core hours, but we recognize the important of balance between work and life. We’re flexible; most of our team is on a hybrid schedule. One reason I wanted to make a change and look at other options was gaining better work-life balance. I have two young children and in the legal field leaving at a reasonable time is not always possible. At CSC I work long hours if it’s needed, but it’s not that often. If I need to go to my son’s T-ball game, I can work that into our day while continuing to support the team and getting everything done.

Do you have interests outside work that tie into your work at CSC?

I serve on the board of directors for a nonprofit organization called the Little Hero Foundation that my friend put together after her son was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. My experience here at CSC helped me help her organize the nonprofit and I’ve been on the board with her for the past three years. I also previously served on another board for a bowling organization when I first started with CSC. I was able to call on my familiarity with legal documents and that really helped with the board meetings.


Have we piqued your interest? Consider joining us.

CSC offers exciting, career-building opportunities that allow our people to drive their career in the direction of their choice. A multi-time Top Workplace, we’re a business, legal, and financial services company that provides knowledge-based solutions to clients worldwide. We’re also the trusted partner of choice for more than 90% of the Fortune 500®, more than 90% of the 100 Best Global Brands®, and more than 70% of the PEI 300.

From our headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware across offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, CSC prides itself on a record of growth and stability. We’ve been privately held and professionally managed for more than 120 years.

We are the business behind business®. With us, you’ll provide world-class client service while growing your career.

For more information, visit cscglobal.com/careers.

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