Lynn Lugo Dares to Be Herself

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The more you learn about Lynn Lugo, the more compelling her story becomes. She’s a proud Puerto Rican who speaks Spanish, German, and Russian. She’s a US Army veteran and a Berkeley Law graduate. And she’s a single mother who has taken her son to nearly seventy countries, with plans to explore the “Five Stans” of Central Asia next.

Lugo’s legal journey has spanned both law firms and in-house roles, ultimately leading her to IQVIA, where she has spent the past fifteen years. As vice president and associate general counsel of global technology transactions, she leads the technology transactions team and serves as a trusted advisor to senior executives across the company.

A Story Worth Filming

Lugo’s life reads like a screenplay. As a young girl from Puerto Rico, she made the bold and uncommon decision, especially in her community, to join the military in search of broader opportunities. Slight in frame and just a teenager, she initially felt like a fish out of water in the US Army environment dominated by big, strong men. But she quickly adapted, eventually becoming a master fitness trainer, an expert marksman, and award-winning soldier while serving in the Military Intelligence branch for more than seven years.

Her army journey took her to the prestigious Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where she studied Russian. From there, she was stationed in Hawaii, Berlin, and various locations across the US. It was during this time while working with some of the most advanced technology of the era that she discovered her passion for tech, an interest that would later become a cornerstone of her legal career.

After leaving the army, Lugo once again found herself out of place, this time at community college. Having completed her early education in Puerto Rico, she struggled with English, which made her coursework especially challenging. But true to form, she rose to the occasion, earning perfect grades and transferring to a university where she graduated with honors.

Her academic journey didn’t stop there. At UC Berkeley School of Law, her admissions essay, which was centered on her feelings of inadequacy when she first joined the Army and her eventual triumph, was so powerful that the admissions committee invited her to represent the school in its recruitment efforts and featured her in its admissions brochure.

“Whenever I speak with Latinos, I remind them: You can do this,” Lugo says. “You’re not supposed to get into Berkeley Law with a community college background. You’re not supposed to pay your own way. You’re not supposed to thrive at top law firms. But none of that is true. I’ve done all of it, and now I’m part of the legal department leadership team at one of the world’s leading companies in healthcare data and technology.”

Breaking the Mold

Lugo has consistently defied expectations. Early in her career at a law firm, colleagues assumed she was more senior than she was, which led to opportunities rarely given to junior associates.

“I was working with angel investors and venture capital firms, speaking at conferences, and helping young tech startups prepare for VC pitches, and this was all within my first three years,” she recalls. “The partner who mentored me back then is still a mentor today.”

After thriving at a major law firm in northern New Jersey, the events of 9/11 and the unrelenting demands of big law, which didn’t pause even in the face of national tragedy, prompted Lugo to reassess her path.

“I brought my laptop and finalized the deal from a tent in the middle of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. I didn’t let down my son, and I didn’t let down the IQVIA team.”

Lynn Lugo

She relocated to Florida to create a more balanced lifestyle and became an in-house lawyer for a healthcare software company. However, after a few years, she realized she needed to further sharpen her legal skills to make the kind of impact she envisioned in the corporate world. That realization led her back to firm life, before ultimately finding her long-term home at IQVIA. Her career reflects a deep commitment to excellence and authenticity.

“I’m not driven by emotion,” she says, “but I won’t compromise who I am.”

A Global Balancing Act

Lugo has mastered the art of balancing a high-powered legal career with a deeply fulfilling family life. After multiple delays, including the COVID-19 pandemic, she was determined not to again postpone a long-awaited trip to Africa with her son. But just before their departure, she was tapped to oversee a high-stakes transaction with a prominent AI company.

“I brought my laptop and finalized the deal from a tent in the middle of the Okavango Delta in Botswana,” she says. “I didn’t let down my son, and I didn’t let down the IQVIA team.”

Her ability to deliver under pressure hasn’t gone unnoticed. IQVIA’s general counsel, who is also her direct manager, recently spotlighted her in the legal department’s global newsletter, celebrating her international adventures and encouraging colleagues to pursue their own version of work/life balance. Despite leading the tech legal function at a Fortune 500 company, Lugo continues to prioritize meaningful time with her son.

A Call to Action

Lugo believes deeply in the untapped potential of the Latino community. “We are stronger because of our diverse experiences, not in spite of them,” she says. “Innovation requires input from people who bring different ideas and perspectives. What makes you different is what makes you valuable. Trust me.”

As a Latina lawyer in the tech sector, Lugo has seen firsthand how fresh perspectives can drive creative solutions. “In the evolving world of global technology, bringing a new lens to legal challenges isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.”

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