Douglas Currault, who has helped navigate Freeport-McMoRan through times of tumult and change, recently was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Arizona Corporate Counsel Awards ceremony.
Currault, the company’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel, was recognized for a nearly 35-year law career (16 of those at Freeport and 12 as outside counsel to the company) during which he helped lead the company’s merger and acquisition activities and the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic, among other key initiatives.
“COVID hit less than six months after I became general counsel,” Currault said, explaining one of his biggest career challenges. “Leading our legal department by working virtually and now working in a flexible/hybrid environment has been challenging, yet exciting because we are not bound by the ‘old rules’ of working. Learning the new way to manage and work has been rewarding.”
In his acceptance remarks, Currault acknowledged the guidance and support of his wife, Donna, also a lawyer and now a federal magistrate judge; the entire Freeport legal team; and the many mentors he has had during his career, including Richard Adkerson, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board; Kathleen Quirk, President; and Rick McMillan, his predecessor and former law firm partner.
Currault also spoke of his upbringing, mentioning he was the first in his family to attend college and that his parents instilled in him both the importance of an education and a strong work ethic.
“I’d like to think I brought that blue-collar attitude and work ethic to a white-collar profession,” he said.
In addition to Currault’s honor, the company also was a finalist for the Legal Department of the Year Award in recognition of its response to the 2023 cybersecurity incident that affected Freeport’s information systems.