Law360 (August 26, 2020, 6:10 PM EDT) -- After Tyco Corp.'s top executives were indicted in a massive fraud scheme in 2002, the company tapped McGuireWoods LLP litigator and former U.S. Navy lawyer John Jenkins to deal with prosecutors and regulators.

Jenkins, who had prosecuted and defended in court-martial proceedings while in the Navy, helped the company coordinate with prosecutors during the ensuing investigation and trials that led to the convictions of the former CEO and chief financial officer. When the dust began to settle, Tyco hired him away from McGuireWoods as senior litigation counsel in 2003.

He represented Tyco in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement case, which the company settled for $50 million in 2006. After the company later split apart, he was tapped to be the top lawyer at one of the spun-off companies, TE Connectivity, which works with defense and aerospace clients, among others. He says his breadth of experience in government, criminal and corporate law prepared him well for the demanding role.

Jenkins' tireless efforts have landed him among 13 corporate counsel named Legends in Law by the Burton Awards this year. Tom Sager, a Ballard Spahr LLP partner who nominated Jenkins for the honor, cited Jenkins' varied and impressive career and accomplishments for the companies that employed him.

"His creativity, balance and legal acumen have enabled this Tyco spinoff to survive and thrive," Sager said.

Jenkins was slated to be honored in person at the Burton Awards' June 2020 ceremony at the Library of Congress, but the event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The next ceremony is scheduled for June 14, 2021. Law360 is a sponsor of the Burton Awards.

Jenkins received his law degree from the George Washington University Law School in 1994, while he was in the Navy. He practiced in the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, handling court-martial prosecution and defense, and later worked in the Pentagon as legislative counsel for the Navy secretary.

After leaving the military in 2000, he joined McGuireWoods as a litigator.

In 2007, he helped split the conglomerate into three companies: health care company Covidien Ltd.; residential security firm Tyco International Ltd., which has since merged with another company; and connector and sensor manufacturer Tyco Electronics, which is now TE Connectivity.

That last company would turn out to need a new general counsel in 2012. It tapped Jenkins, given his experience with Tyco and in government and regulatory affairs.

But as he adjusted to leadership and management, he said he realized there were a few things he still had to learn.

For instance, leading in the private sector was nothing like leading in the military. He recalled the shock of a subordinate refusing a direct order.

"I was floored," he said. "In the Navy, you get prosecuted for this; it's disobedience of a lawful order, a crime. So that was alerting early on, and certainly, you know, I needed to adjust, adapt and learn new leadership skills to be effective."

--Editing by Aaron Pelc and Brian Baresch.

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