Baylor Law Business Law Society Visits Magnolia Headquarters for Insight into In-House Counsel Careers

During a recent visit to Magnolia Headquarters—the iconic brand behind Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Waco-based empire—Baylor Law School’s Business Law Society (BLS) had the opportunity to gain valuable insights from Magnolia’s General Counsel, Stephen Lewis, and Associate Counsel, Janessa Givens. The event provided an in-depth look at the unique challenges and rewards of working as in-house legal counsel and a glimpse into the dynamic and multi-faceted legal landscape of one of the world’s most recognized lifestyle brands.

Gracie Reeves, President of BLS, shared the inspiration behind organizing the visit. “BLS hosted this event with Magnolia last year; it was a big hit with the students who attended. Magnolia also participates in Baylor Law’s In-House Counsel Externship Program, which some of our students have participated in. We used that connection to invite their legal team to share their expertise.”

Insights from Magnolia’s Legal Team

Stephen Lewis and Janessa Givens welcomed the students and shared their career paths with Magnolia, highlighting their roles’ eclectic responsibilities. “There’s so much behind the scenes that we work on that no one ever sees because the law underpins everything in this business,” Lewis remarked. As a self-professed ‘legal generalist,’ Lewis emphasized the legal knowledge needed to support Magnolia’s various enterprises, including retail, real estate, hospitality, and media. He also stressed the importance of non-legal skills like project management and oversight of vendor relationships, as in-house counsel may have to call in expert outside counsel to work on specific projects or resolve unique issues. In addition to Lewis and Givens’ valuable insights, during a Q&A period, students inquired about his recommendations for early-career experience and developing the skills needed for success as in-house counsel. 

Lewis shared anecdotes from his seven years as in-house counsel, navigating his position at the intersection of the law and business, protecting Magnolia’s creative assets while promoting its growth. “We create the legal strategy for the company,” he noted, “but we don’t do that in a vacuum. We understand what the business strategy is and what the business goals are, and then we create a legal strategy that will help protect the business but also further those business goals.”

Baylor Law School’s Commitment to Experiential Learning

Baylor Law School’s In-House Counsel Externship Program exemplifies the law school’s commitment to providing a comprehensive legal education. The program connects Baylor Law students with in-house attorneys across a wide variety of organizations. While many of these organizations are based in Central Texas, like Magnolia, others are located throughout the state and beyond. The program combines practical experience with classroom learning, focusing on substantive and ethical business and transactional law issues.