The role of General Counsel has evolved at pace in the past few years. Once seen as “the lawyer in the room”, GCs are now expected to be forward-thinkers guiding businesses through everything from sustainability to cybersecurity and diversity initiatives. The pandemic has only accelerated this shift, with legal teams front and centre in companies’ response to the crisis.
Global uncertainty reached a peak during Covid-19, according to The Economist’s Intelligence Unit’s World Uncertainty Index, and further shocks should not be downplayed given risks stemming from rising geopolitical and trade tensions. Fresh challenges including the renewed fight against climate change and rapid digitalisation compound this ever-changing environment, with in-house lawyers likely to maintain – if not increase – their strategic role in organisations.
Attendees at Economist Impact’s 18th General Counsel Summit in London discussed these and other challenges lying ahead for GCs at leading corporations.
Download A&M's perspective on the outcomes from the event.
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