Analysis of the changing role of the General Counsel by Blandine CORDIER-PALASSE, La Revue RH&M n°90
We are recruiting a lot more legal directorsThey are the right-hand men and women of management.
They are responsible for strategic, business-focused functions and risk management, effectively aligning legal considerations with the company's overall objectives. In recent years, the role of the General Counsel has undergone significant change, encompassing a much wider range of responsibilities.
The General Counsel is responsible for governance and proactive risk management:
In an era of increasing regulatory complexity and corporate governance requirements, the General Counsel plays an essential role in improving risk management. He or she contributes to - and even conducts - the implementation of a solid compliance programme. The Legal Director monitors regulatory developments, particularly in the areas of preventing corruption, antitrust, export control, sanctions and embargoes. He also manages human rights and a number of social, societal and environmental commitments linked to CSR. It also develops risk mitigation strategies. The General Counsel is become a key contributor to the development and execution of corporate policies and strategies. It ensures legal compliance at every stage. It protects the company's reputation and avoids costly litigation.
The Legal Director manages strategic and commercial partnerships:
The General Counsel is a strategic partner and valuable advisor to senior management and the Board of Directors. Their role requires an in-depth understanding of the business, sector and culture in which the company operates. He or she makes an essential contribution to mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and strategic commercial transactions, contributing to the Group's overall performance.
The General Counsel embraces technology and digitisation:
By streamlining processes, improving collaboration, leveraging data, optimising costs and managing risk, the legal department delivers increased value to the organisation. As a result, as technology continues to advance and the business grows, the role of the legal team is only becoming more critical. Legal departments that embrace these changes and adapt to the evolving legal landscape are positioning themselves for success in the years ahead.
By adopting integrated digital data management and project management tools, the General Counsel helps to secure the business and empowers all employees and stakeholders to operate more efficiently and effectively. In this way, the cross-functional, multi-dimensional and agile contributions of the General Counsel contribute to the performance, overall success and compliance of the company. This positions him or her as an indispensable leader in a complex and constantly evolving international legal landscape.
This can be seen in the recruitment we carry out, whether for large listed groups or SMEs and start-ups. Increasingly, companies are realising the crucial importance of having a highly agile legal director with a good understanding of the business and the associated risks. He or she must be able to navigate the complexities, to provide strategic guidance, propose solutions and support the board of directors, senior management and operational staff effectively in making informed decisions.
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