Based on responses from 1,800 in-house counsel in 53 countries, the Global Perspectives: ACC In-house Trends Report reveals insights that lawyers, department leaders, aspiring in-house counsel, law firms and anyone working with inside counsel can use to plan a positive future. It covers trending topics such as the inside-outside counsel relationship, career mobility, professional development, department resource allocation, cybersecurity, professional privilege, and more. Interviews with global in-house counsel sharing their experiences are also included.
An omnibus survey of in-house counsel, this report covers topics of interest to the entire in-house counsel community, including providers and partners. Each topic is examined across regions, company revenue categories and more. Legal service providers will use this data to guide their relationships with in-house lawyers, departments can benchmark practices and experience with departments around the world and individual lawyers will use this data to benchmark their careers. The report covers:
- Outside counsel relationships
- Legal professional privilege
- Cybersecurity and technology
- M&A
- Cross-border work and relocation
- Diversity
- Global business practice
- Changing jobs and/or careers
- Career development
- Returning to work after a leave
- Professional background of In-house counsel
- Perceptions of compensation
Example of findings:
- The perception of in-house counsel has steadily risen over the past several decades. Fifty-eight percent of respondents agree that they now enjoy the same status as outside counsel. Read the report to see the regional variation on this topic.
- Sixty-five percent of female lawyers found it difficult to find a new position after a two-year or more absence from the workforce.
- Thirty-six percent of US respondents stated their companies have changed how they do business as a result of recent regulatory action. See how the EU-US Privacy Shield is impacting European CLOs.
- Six percent say their department tracks the diversity among their outside service providers while 20 percent say their company has a formal program to advance the careers of diverse employees.
- One in three respondents noted their law department will direct resources to mandatory employee training, and one-quarter will focus resources on data security audits. Sixteen percent of survey respondents will assign a law department member to the data crisis response team.
ACC Members can download the executive summary below. The full report is available for purchase here.
The information in any resource collected in this virtual library should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on specific facts and should not be considered representative of the views of its authors, its sponsors, and/or ACC. These resources are not intended as a definitive statement on the subject addressed. Rather, they are intended to serve as a tool providing practical advice and references for the busy in-house practitioner and other readers.