Are You an Outlaw? Meet Kerri Vermeylen

Who has redefined what it means to think outside the law (aka OUTLAW) and is helping each of us in the process?

Meet Kerri Vermeylen, Director of International Business Development and Marketing for Sidley Austin, LLP. Kerri is a seasoned marketing and business development leader with over 25 years of experience in premier global law firms. She is a strategic trusted adviser to firm management and an advocate for client-centric service. Kerri has successfully helped lawyers strengthen and expand client relationships, elevate brand profile, and win new business. A skilled team leader, coach and mentor, Kerri is dedicated to helping her team reach their fullest potential and deliver the highest quality service. 

Kerri leads the international (ex-US) business development and marketing team at Sidley Austin LLP. She is an active proponent of diversity and inclusion in the legal/marketing profession, and is presently serving as President-elect of the Legal Marketing Association's European Region. Kerri is a dynamic trainer and speaker and has spearheaded professional development programs for lawyers and staff on a range of business development topics such as collaborative cross-selling, strategic business development planning, networking and relationship building, presenting for impact, and more.

Below is a recent interview conducted with Kerri. Enjoy getting to know this Outlaw!

Q: What is your idea of happiness?
A: Happiness is a feeling of gratitude that comes when I am able to pause and simply enjoy a beautiful moment. That happens for me at different times and in different ways but when it does, it’s unmistakable – it could come while skiing down a mountain slope on a crisp winter morning, jumping into a cold Wisconsin lake on a hot summer day, sharing a sudden burst of laughter among good friends or colleagues, walking my dog in the woods, riding a horse at sunset, standing at the foot of a great Sequoia tree, or cruising slowly along a Dutch canal while my husband and I sip coffee at the helm of our boat…

Q: What is your motto?
A: I love inspirational quotes and have a number that I turn to regularly as mental and moral guideposts. One that has been resonating with me lately is: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other,” by John F. Kennedy.

Q: What is your greatest fear?
A: Bringing someone down with my words or actions. As a leader and team member, I strive to lift others up and help them succeed. I don’t always get it right, but I’m learning every day.  

Q: Finish this sentence: “If I could have one super-power, it would be...”
A: …to travel at supersonic speed wherever and whenever I want – in my family, we often say we wish we had a “Beam me up, Scotty” machine since we are separated by a vast ocean. I love traveling but wish I could shrink the time it takes to cover large distances. The pandemic has certainly taught us how to connect with one another more effectively via remote communication methods, but nothing can replace a warm hug or an in-person gathering with family, friends or colleagues.

Q: Who are your favorite authors or what are your favorite books?
A: There are so many books that have touched me, and I look forward to the many great books that I have yet to read. If I had to pick one favorite author it would be Jane Austen, and one book that stands out to me over the years is “The Red Tent” by Anita Diamant for the way it portrays the strengths and vulnerabilities of women. 

Q: What got you into working in the legal industry?
A: After my undergraduate studies, I contemplated going to law school but first wanted to get some work experience. During a dinner at the Belgian-American Club in Antwerp, Belgium (where I was living and studying), I met a partner at a major New York law firm. He asked me about my future plans and when I mentioned law as an interest, he suggested I get a front-row look at the profession by working as a paralegal and offered to connect me with his HR team. I took him up on the offer, and a few weeks later I found myself in the Big Apple, sporting a brand new suit and an empty brief case, as I walked through the door of a towering Midtown office building. I immediately loved the high-performing, intellectually charged environment, where opportunities to learn and collaborate with others were seemingly endless. Those same factors have kept me in the legal industry for nearly 30 years, and I continue to learn and grow every day.

Q: What is your current state of mind?
A: Curious – it’s never a dull day in legal BD and marketing!

Q: What would you consider your greatest achievement?
A: Bringing up two strong, beautiful daughters who I know will be a positive force in the world. It’s not an achievement I can claim as my own because of course they are each carving their own path, but I am proud that I have been able to build a career for myself while giving them the support and encouragement they needed – not an easy balancing act, but my husband and I say we must have done something right because they are two pretty amazing human beings!

Q: Finish this sentence: “If I won the lottery tomorrow I would...”
A: Take a long sabbatical and cruise the rivers and canals of Europe with my husband on our boat, which is aptly named “Escape.”