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I can choose to protect my client, or I can choose to protect my ego. I can’t do both.
For Sarah Fortt, that choice is never theoretical. Legal and compliance leaders today navigate evolving regulations, disruptive technology, and relentless stakeholder scrutiny. Judgment and restraint are their core tools. Globally, businesses must align conduct and accountability in every market. At Ford, Sarah operates at the intersection of governance, compliance, and operations.
“My job as chief compliance officer at Ford is to protect one of the most historically incredible corporate cultures in the world today. The corporate culture of Ford Motor Company is dedicated to doing the right thing. Part of my role is to help protect our employees who want to do the right thing and, through them, our customers as well.”
Whether sitting in the boardroom or working across cross-functional teams, she aligns legal frameworks with business priorities. It is a massive responsibility, shaped by a path that was anything but linear.
Finding the path
Sarah describes herself as “someone who has enjoyed the journey. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do when I graduated from college,” she admits.
A professor suggested law, but first she worked for three years, including a key stint at a boutique real estate law firm. This firsthand experience made the legal role tangible. She then attended Yale Law School, seeking a defined path and purpose. “I wanted people to know why I walked in the room.”
Her deep connection to the law developed gradually. “I call it an arranged marriage because my career did not start from passion.” She explains, “It started from practicality, a desire to have a career, a clearly defined role, to be able to provide for myself and to be able to contribute.” Over time, that arrangement turned into a genuine calling. “It became something that I found passion for when I recognized the ways in which my natural skill set could enhance my legal practice.”
Because of her journey, she rejects the idea that success follows a single blueprint. “There are different ways to be a great lawyer, and just about anyone could become one with the right encouragement, training, and determination.”
Early on, Sarah saw how access and opportunity differ by identity. “As a young, Black, queer woman, there had never been a Black female partner at my first law firm after law school. There was no path. I realized that following all the rules and achieving what senior people had done before me was unlikely.”
She didn’t retreat. She recalibrated. “I was going to have to think creatively about my career. But at the same time, I was never going to compromise who I am or how I view my dedication to the truth, to the right thing, to justice.”
At Gibson Dunn, corporate governance captivated her. Later leadership roles deepened her expertise and changed her view of leadership. “Responsibility is a double-edged sword. Good leadership is sacrifice.” Her work at her last law firm before joining Ford strengthened her resolve. “That’s where I found how tough I can be when others won’t do the right thing. I needed that experience to know how to hold the line.”
Governance in practice
Sarah joined Ford in January 2025, entering a legal function central to corporate decision-making. As corporate secretary, she works closely with the board, giving her insight into the company’s commitment to ethics from the top. Her compliance duties require her to listen across the organization to understand risks and support the board.
Navigating a vast, multi-jurisdictional footprint requires a mix of deep conviction and humility. “Because my roles are global, I must be willing to listen and learn. When I feel that I know the right thing to do, I can be quite firm. But I don’t think that’s the opposite of listening.” Accountability remains non-negotiable: “I’m one hundred percent willing to admit when I’m wrong. I owe my client that.”
Her role means keeping pace with Ford’s rapid changes, balancing quick action with long-term judgment. “You must move at the client’s speed.” That rhythm means being ready each day to learn as business moves.
Leadership and trust
“I have an absolutely incredible global team. The lawyers and professionals I work with at Ford are among the most brilliant, hardworking, dedicated, and creative people I’ve ever met,” she shares.
Managing such a vast network requires balancing control and autonomy. “You must hold it close and let it go at the same time.” Because Ford’s work touches nearly every legal area, trust in colleagues is essential. “We are in the business of translation and trust.” She explains, “We translate legal challenges into business and strategic language, and then into actionable legal mechanisms. But first and always, we build trust.”
Corporate credibility relies as much on humility as on expertise. “Check your ego at the door,” stressing the need to build trust so clients know she will create opportunities for them.
Sarah’s view of success has shifted dramatically over time. Early in her career, it narrowed to survival – the result of painful experiences with workplace abuse. “The experience put me in a mindset that was focused purely on how to survive.”
Today, she measures success by her external impact. “It’s the number of people I’m able to positively influence,” she says, thinking especially of young lawyers who feel unseen. “My goal is to speak to them, encourage them, and show them they can make an impact without sacrificing their integrity.
“One of my main mottos is community first. Investing in others has rewarded me and my career.” She cautions against a transactional mindset: “We end up in emotional poverty if we only collaborate with those who can immediately benefit us.”
For her peers, she stresses that true leadership comes down to bold action. “Being courageous enough to do the right thing when you cannot see the horizon from where you stand is a really important principle to implement in your life.” Her current focus at Ford reflects this call to action. She remains closely engaged with her compliance team, working to align governance with operations and invest heavily in the next generation of legal talent.
Outside the office, Sarah keeps her routine grounded. “I have three dogs, so it is a canine household.” She writes and spends time with family, carving out space for interests beyond corporate law.
“When I came to Ford, I said, I understand why people come to this company and work here for 30 years and never leave,” Sarah concludes. “The culture is one of hard work, collaboration and teamwork, of humor and of humility.” It’s a culture she now helps protect, and one that continues to shape her in return.
For nearly a century, Weil has provided legal services to the largest public companies, private equity firms and financial institutions. Widely recognized by those covering the legal profession, Weil’s lawyers regularly advise clients globally on their most complex Corporate, Litigation, Restructuring, and Tax, Executive Compensation & Benefits matters. Weil has been a pioneer in establishing a geographic footprint that has allowed the Firm to partner with clients wherever they do business.
