Peter Macdonald
- General Counsel and Executive Vice President
- loanDepot.com, LLC
School Information
School: Western State University
College Major: Pre-Law
Years at College Works: 1991 to 1994
Career Information
Working For: loanDepot.com, LLC
Title: General Counsel and Executive Vice President
Industry: Banking
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
Handle all legal issues for a start-up company that has grown to 4000 employees in 5 years. Licensing, litigation, corp governance, strategic planning, etc.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Building two start-up mortgage lending companies to national industry leaders; one becoming 2000 employees known as LendingTree and one becoming 4000 employees known as loanDepot.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting provided the basis to overcome adversity and hone problem-solving skills. Not a day went by at College Works Painting that I did not have to address a problem or craft a solution. These skills serve you well later in life.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
College Works Painting gave me the confidence to take non-traditional paths to success. It allowed me to gain far more success than those students that followed a ‘safe’ approach. It allowed me to understand what taking a risk was like and thus help me advance after school and in my career.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
My clients generally appreciated the collaboration it took to get them the paint job they needed. My favorite ones were the ones that participated in the process and were thrilled upon completion.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
The concept that a person who can take a risk, solve a problem or create a solution is valuable as an employee or as an entrepreneur. It is a skill far too few people have.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
Constant interaction with College Works Painting friends. 20 years later and we are still great friends.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
“College Works Painting- nothing worthwhile comes easily.” “College Works Painting – welcome to the start of your career” “College Works Painting – Find out who you are…”
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
Time is short. Get all the experiences you can get. Push yourself and test yourself.
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
The College Works Painting internship is transferable between industries. Skills learned at CWP are life lessons, not industry specific.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
To be a good lawyer, you need to know ‘business’. Without an understanding of both, a lawyer is just a simple tool, not the trusted adviser and counselor that the rare few actually become.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
Payroll Friday parties.
Last words of wisdom?
Events are the teachers of fools or In vino veritas