How can I grow my GC role?

The most common discussion I have with GCs and Heads of Legal in earlier stage private and public companies, is how to expand their roles and play a larger, more strategic part in the organization.? Many of our GC clients do not have a seat at the C-Suite table, do not have a direct line to the CEO or the Board and/or find themselves picking up critical information second or third hand.?

What’s behind this and how can a GC or head of legal change it?

This is a challenge with many causes.? And I have to say, it’s not easily or quickly fixed.

As an example, one challenge at earlier stage companies is that the CEO is generally one of the founders and is a first time CEO.? Before the GC arrived, she did all the legal work.? She negotiated the first lease, made arrangements for copiers and IT equipment, set up payroll and benefit plans, and worked with a law firm to incorporate the company, issue the initial shares and complete the first rounds of funding.? In many cases, she will have worked with patent counsel to obtain the company’s initial IP or complete an in-license of technology.? At some point, the CEO decided there was too much other work she needed to get done and hired a lawyer.? But since the CEO just finished doing the legal job for the last 12 to 24 months, she may not view the internal legal function as a huge value add.? She may just see it as somewhat administrative in terms of getting contracts completed, taking care of various and sundry legal matters that pop up and managing required policies.? After all, she just finished doing many of these things before the in-house lawyer arrived.? In these cases, the lawyer is likely seen as just another pair of hands that can handle the back office legal stuff.? Molding the CEO’s perception of the role lawyers can play in the organization is one of the keys to building the GC role.

In my upcoming webinar series, I will discuss this and many other challenges that may contribute to GCs and heads of legal having less substantive roles than they would like.? I will also discuss:

1.??? ?Strategies for tackling these challenges

2.??? What CEOs need from their GCs and how to develop the critical CEO relationship

3.??? Going from back-office fixer to strategic partner

4.??? What a fully developed GC role can look like

5.??? Obstacles to developing the fully developed GC role

6.??? The GC’s relationship with the Board

7.??? Getting exposure to the Board

8.??? Co-existing with outside counsel at the Board level

9.??? Key questions to ask yourself when developing your short- and long-term strategy for building the GC or head of legal role.

?The webinars will be presented at 10 a.m. on July 17, July 29 and September 24.

Click below to register for these webinars.?

https://gunder.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WdJABU61QzC5LmydBtG20Q#/registration

Recordings of each webinar will be posted to our website for those who are unable to make the live sessions.