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According to David Cohen, the general counsel of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL), “a good general counsel is the proverbial 12th man in every department of the organization. A GC is one of the few executives that touches every primary area of the business. As such, a good GC can provide advice that fits within the big picture of an organization.”

Just as a doctor would recommend vaccination and inoculation based on their analysis of past symptoms of a disease, the in-house lawyer often uses past disputes, regulatory actions and controversies to predict future risks. Here is where precedent plays such an important part of what in-house counsel rely on in performing their jobs.

Mediation is not litigation nor is it a zero-sum game. Although it is a less expensive and more efficient path to resolve conflict than litigation, it is often misunderstood and undervalued.

Legal departments are increasingly focused on DEI, but lawyers can forget about their personal networks. Here are suggestions to evaluate your network and expand its reach and composition.

Many aspects of litigation are uncertain, but open and data-driven conversations with outside counsel can yield cost-effective outcomes.

GCs need to carefully adhere to SEC rules and case law — or their board of directors can become liable. #ACCDocket #Caremark #cybersecurity #boardofdirectors #cyberrisk

The most popular articles published in 2022! #ACCDocket #inhousecounsel

Holding fast to the rule of law is not an easy path, but it is the least difficult of all other alternatives, writes James Bellerjeau. #ACC #ACCDocket #CareerPath

Understanding the business from the client perspective gave Kate Shelby an advantage when she became the first GC at Resultant. Read about her innovations that earned her the #ACCTop30s award. #inhousecounsel #generalcounsel #ACCDocket

From climate accountability to strategic integration, learn how the GC's unique position enables informed decision-making and mitigates risks in the face of the global green wave. #Greenwashing #Inhouse #ACC #ACCDocket

What exactly is a T-Shaped Lawyer? Peter Connor shares how doing business, not just law, can drastically increase in-house legal value. #ACC #ACCDocket #career

With AI governance models in focus, learn the practical steps for legal professionals to lead their organizations towards responsible AI practices in this article from Legal Tech columnist Olga Mack and coauthors Humira Noorestani of DigiCounsel and Kassi Burns of King & Spalding. #LegalTech #OpenAI #AIGovernance

So, how do you tell if your colleague is trying to undermine you, and what can you do about it?

I’ve worked with Phillips for many years on the ACC Law Department Management Network leadership, where he is currently chair. It recently occurred to me that the in-house legal community would benefit from the leadership lessons Phillips has gleaned from his years serving as — and training to become — a Navy SEAL.

Regardless of how well-intentioned or well-written they might be by themselves, corporate mission, vision, and values statements have no impact on employee behavior. Although people do not respond to slogans, they do respond to leadership.

Privacy and public health are overlapping in ways that were unimaginable only a few months ago. The critical question raised by this turn of events is whether the right to privacy is more important than the lives of the people at large?

Working remotely enables access to a talent pool of professionals who once would have required expensive or unwilling relocations. This means we can collaborate with people around the world in ways we never did before.

US sanctions and export controls can often raise complex issues requiring an in-depth examination of all aspects of a proposed opportunity. This includes the entities involved on behalf of the business, the customer and related third parties, the products/services involved, and the use of the US financial system.

CHRISTUS Health Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Jeannie Frey had been practicing law for almost a decade before she decided to become actively involved in the American Bar Association (ABA).

Prior to law school, I worked as a server in a restaurant. I’ve often said that my experiences back then were particularly valuable in forming my worldview; their relevance certainly rushed back to the fore when I began in-house practice in a department of one.

The legal profession has experienced several years of upheaval and disruption. General counsel are now optimizing their internal service delivery model in the same way that they have done with their external ones.

I decided to keep a log and write down the most important lessons I have been learning while managing my plant and on my journey outside the legal department. I have to admit, some of these lessons are the result of not so smooth — even at times painful — experiences.

Naturally, patents figure prominently into the business strategy, and Haas’ legal department involves itself more and more in strategic discussions to be able to focus on patents that deliver business solutions.

Despite their possible shortcomings, performance metrics — including profit and loss — are vital to helping businesses track and report results to shareholders. The question is, how can we craft meaningful performance metrics that incentivize desirable behaviors while avoiding potential negative consequences?

This article will provide a history and overview of CFIUS, as well as predictions about how the Committee may operate going forward. Based on recent CFIUS activity and the broad language of FIRRMA, it is highly likely that CFIUS’ role in reviewing foreign investment in the United States will increase. In particular, CFIUS will be getting involved in reviews of more types of transactions involving more types of industries, including industries such as health, finance, and retail, in which personal information or information transfer could occur as a result of the proposed transaction.

According to Spitzer, there are four distinct levels of happiness that both individuals and organizations must understand to assist them in pursuing excellence.

For a legal-minded numbers guy like Alasdair Moodie, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s vice president and general counsel of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), he knew that the chances of receiving the honour were slim. But for the multiple colleagues and peers who nominated him, it wasn’t a surprise when he did.

Rose Marie Glazer, vice president, deputy general counsel, and corporate secretary of American International Group (AIG), has some advice for in-house counsel who may not always be invited to executive table: invite yourself. And for those who aspire to advanced roles within (or outside of) the legal department, she says to have a plan, but to also embrace the twists and turns that life will undoubtedly throw your way.

Participating on panels of fellow legal professionals is another superb way to share what you’ve learned, exchange experiences with your peers, and increase your visibility among your professional contacts. Before seeking to become a serial panelist, however, you should consider taking a number of steps to ensure that you are successful in this effort.

It was a comfortable spring day on March 23, 2017, when Yibing Mao, Marriott's chief legal counsel for Asia Pacific, walked into the retro-chic China Club.