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Ekumene “E” Lysonge’s impact at NerdWallet goes well beyond legal milestones. As chief legal officer and corporate secretary, he’s redefined what modern in-house leadership looks like – blending clarity, purpose, and trust into every decision.
He says, “[C]larity is a form of courage – and courage builds trust.”
“E” landed his first General Counsel role in 2015 and, in 2023, became chief legal officer and corporate secretary at NerdWallet. Over the past four-plus years, he has helped guide the publicly traded personal finance company he helped take public. In that time, he’s cut board preparation time by 40 percent, scaled legal operations through digital automation, and led strategic acquisitions and investments that have broadened NerdWallet’s reach, scale, and product offerings. In every way, Lysonge has proven to be a significant contributor to NerdWallet’s growth and bottom line.
But the CLO has endeavored to do more than just improve his place of business. The legal leader has made it a priority to invest time in writing, speaking, and mentoring emerging legal leaders. There is a reason why Lysonge was selected as one of Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Black Lawyers,” for his practice and record, for sure. But Lysonge is also investing time and effort into others to get them where he is now.
His writing—first shared on LinkedIn and later featured by GC Connected—explores the evolution from lawyer to leader. Through essays like “Deputy General Counsel Dynamics” and “From Counsel to Chief,” Lysonge has encouraged a new generation of in-house lawyers to think beyond compliance and toward purpose, influence, and clarity.
Leading with EQ
Lysonge’s message is clear from the get-go. If you don’t have a well-honed emotional intelligence (EQ), your journey is going to be a tough one.
“Your EQ has to be heightened and honed so you can leverage legal tactics as a strategic problem-solving tool,” the CLO says. “The law is like a language of alignment. How can you use what you know to help the business get to the result in the most efficient way possible?”
Additionally, Lysonge emphasizes that effectiveness requires legal professionals to speak the language of the business—not legal jargon. “Lawyers get a bad reputation for not understanding business metrics,” Lysonge said. “Don’t be that person. Know your KPIs. Understand the strategy. You can’t drive impact if you’re not speaking the same language.”
More broadly, Lysonge contends that a high EQ lends itself to being able to influence the broader business and cultivate junior talent. Those who want to be leaders need to shed thoughts of their role as that of an individual contributor and develop a capacity for strategic clarity, collaboration, and mentorship. Lysonge encourages rising lawyers to sharpen their ability to see the forest for the trees, to employ a wider scope, and search for ways to bridge legal insight with business strategy; more importantly, to see how the two connect.
Pivot Moments and Proud Achievements
Lysonge’s journey began in Indianapolis, where he began his professional career lobbying before attending law school. Numerous “purposeful pivots” followed over two decades, first in-house and then in progressive leadership roles. A pivotal moment came when a mentor at Churchill Downs recommended him for his first general counsel role at CarePress, a leap into public company legal leadership that set the foundation for his current successes.
Since joining NerdWallet, one of Lysonge’s proudest achievements is leading the company through its IPO, building trust with regulators, investors, and employees throughout the process. He has also modernized governance practices, strengthened risk management around AI and climate disclosure, and built scalable compliance systems that position legal as an accelerator rather than a bottleneck.
Looking ahead, Lysonge plans to continue pursuing board opportunities and investing in what he calls “purpose-driven leadership”— helping organizations navigate complexity with sound judgment, transparency, and trust. He’s also increasingly focused on the evolving demands of the next generation of CLOs, which call for greater operational agility, digital fluency, and sharper strategic foresight. Lysonge believes the role of GCs and CLOs is being reshaped by rapid technological change, and that both current and future leaders must be willing to stretch themselves to meet the moment.
For Lysonge, leadership is no longer about control – it’s about clarity. The modern CLO must combine business fluency with emotional intelligence, turning risk into rhythm and purpose into progress. Through it all, Lysonge remains focused on helping the next generation of legal leaders find what every organization truly needs: judgment, trust, and the courage to lead with purpose.
His parting advice: “Be radically transparent, invest in your network, and always, always help others see what’s possible.”
“WTW is proud to recognize Ekumene “E” Lysonge, NerdWallet’s CLO, for his leadership and the significant impact he has made through his achievements. His collaborative spirit and insights make him a pleasure to work with.”
–Brad Messinger, Managing Director, Head of Financial Institutions & Professional Services, brad.messinger@wtwco.com, 917.991.8834
