The world’s largest children’s book publisher and distributor Scholastic has promoted Chris Lick to general counsel, replacing Andrew Hedden who is retiring from the role.
Lick is currently senior counsel at Scholastic. In his new role he will be responsible for providing strategic legal counsel in the US and globally in areas such as IP, litigation, compliance, content development, and strategic alliances and acquisitions. He is due to take up his new position on 1 June, where he will report directly to president and CEO Peter Warwick.
New York-based Scholastic publishes and distributes a wide-range of children’s books – including fiction and non-fiction titles and school textbooks – through book clubs, book fairs and school libraries.
Warwick said: “Chris has become a key strategic partner to Scholastic’s executive leadership, providing sound judgment that best serves both our values as a company and our growth-oriented business goals. We are eager to have him in this new role and grateful to Andy for his previous service.”
Lick has been with Scholastic for almost 17 years, working across a number of senior legal positions. He arrived in July 2008 from Kilpatrick Stockton, where he was an associate, having started his legal career at Sidley Austin.
He said: “Since day one at Scholastic, it has been a privilege to be part of an incredibly talented legal team and play my role in the company’s mission to bring books to kids. We are growing the ways in which we do just that and I look forward to working closely with Peter, the managing executive committee and the board to achieve our goals.”
Hedden, meanwhile, moves to a senior counsellor role after 17 years as GC and a legal career that spans more than five decades. Like Lick, he joined Scholastic in 2008, having previously been a partner at Baker McKenzie and defunct US firm Coudert Brothers.
Earlier this month, US bookstore chain Books-A-Million rehired Catherine Hogewood as GC, seven years after she previously held that role. The appointment comes less than a year after the company hired Courtney Adair as GC.
And in March, US on-campus bookstore Barnes & Noble Education hired former Six Flags GC Christopher Neumann as its legal head.
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