The General Counsel must be unafraid to face the fallout of difficult decisions, whether they involve dealings with regulators or simply taking a stance unpopular within the company. Someone who has been in the industry long enough has no doubt faced these stressful situations.

If the candidate offers a specific example, he or she should be able to demonstrate an important lesson learned from that situation and show that it resulted in change. A candidate who has no regrets may not be taking an honest inventory of the impact of his or her decisions.