Aspiring GCs need non-legal skills now more than ever, and the pandemic has helped propel these changes. Despite global economic turbulence, organizations need high-level lawyers to help steer the organization’s direction and to mitigate risk. There are plenty of GC and Deputy GC jobs looking to be filled, and aspiring GCs who have important non-legal skills will be more competitive than other candidates. Eskor Edem’s recent piece at MLA Global will help give you some tips that can benefit not just aspiring GCs but in-house counsel at all levels.
“The role of the general counsel has changed significantly in recent years. No longer just a corporate watchdog, today’s general counsel is heavily involved in matters spanning well beyond legal. They are expected to take a seat at the table alongside other C-suite executives as strategic business partners….While the role of the general counsel has long been evolving, the pandemic pushed these changes front and center. COVID-19 catapulted general counsels to the forefront, as they were called on to provide a road map for a rapidly changing environment. Through this crash course in company operations and people management, GCs learned to adapt a take-charge approach and cultivate a troubleshooting network that would better prepare the company for the next crisis. In doing so, they showed that the legal department could be a value creator and business enabler, not just a cost center… Whether first-timers or seasoned legal leaders, general counsel candidates must understand that a new baseline for the GC skill set is taking shape, one that is much broader and deeper than the role has traditionally required.”