Career Advice with Eve Saltman, General Counsel at GoPro

• We’re pleased to provide another  chance to delve into the career journey of a successful lawyer in the field. Our latest interview of the series is with Eve Saltman, who has had an incredible 28 years in the industry and many more ahead of her with a multi-faceted role at GoPro.

Career Stats
Name: Eve Saltman
Current role: Head of Corporate/Business Development, General Counsel and Secretary, GoPro
Law School: Georgetown Law School
First job: First job out of law school: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, San Francisco
Years of experience: 28

•  Tell us about your career path and how you got to be where you are today? 

The path I took to get to GoPro has allowed me to succeed in delivering sound counsel for a brand that is thriving, and that people know and love. I began my career at a law firm in San Francisco, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where I worked as a litigator and also in the trademark registration practice. After seven years there, I wanted to go in-house to have a broader focus and be part of a business. Back then it was harder to find an in-house role, but I was lucky to find a recruiter that saw my skills were transferable to a role at Autodesk. I had to learn on the job how to do things like draft contract provisions and negotiate deals, but I was resourceful and figured it out. From there I went to a number of companies, taking on new areas to advise and manage – and learned how to build a high-performing teams. All of my career experiences and leanings have helped shape the exciting team I lead at GoPro today.

• What qualities do you think make you successful in your role?

I value collaboration and strong relationships – enthusiasm for both these, along with some fun along the way, has helped make me successful at GoPro. There is nothing better than working with a great team, which I have in my current role. I also try to approach my work with compassion and thoughtfulness.  It’s important to understand where people are coming from and to be open to their point of view. At the end of the day, getting things done that ladder back to GoPro’s forward looking plan is what makes me a successful counselor and leader.

• What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out your legal career?

It might take longer in your career to get where you want to be.  It’s easy to get fixated on title, reporting structure, and comparing yourself to others. If you like what you are doing, and you work hard to keep learning, you will learn and progress. There are variables to that, but if you start with a role that you enjoy you will be able to navigate them easily.

• What causes are you personally invested in (eg. diversity, politics, environment, mentorship)?

I’m passionate about career development and mentorship. Building a high-performing, engaged team is incredibly rewarding and that’s what we are focused on at GoPro. I also enjoy providing career advice to others – helping people connect with others who can help them. Separately, I’m on the board of a non-profit called Lexicon of Sustainability, which brings a new perspective to educating people on sustainability consumption habits.

• Beyond work, what are you most passionate about?

I’m passionate about spending time with family and friends, staying connected to what people I care about are doing. I love that I can mix my work and passion – capturing moments with my GoPro enables me to provide encouragement for their activities as well as keep friends and family updated on what I’m doing too! Recently, my daughter and I did a mother’s day hike with our dog, and we collaborated on a short video that we both love.

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