Many businesses are faced with legal issues. It is vital to have a lawyer who can pre-emptively combat these issues. An outside general counsel can be a cost-effective solution for your business. They will focus on contract and daily risk management while ensuring your business is legally compliant. They will also be able to offer advice on how to grow your business.
Focus on Business
A business needs a legal leader who can look around corners, anticipate issues and work with the executive team to advance the business. This includes advising on the right mix of lawyers and paralegals, structuring the legal function for effectiveness, attracting, selecting, and developing talent, budget accountability, and striving for process improvement. Businesses of every size face legal matters that are only sometimes predictable. A firm that provides general counsel services Irvine CA can help you avoid unexpected expenses by delivering quality legal expertise when needed. This can help you focus on your business without worrying about the legal risks that come with being in business.
Focus on Strategy
GCs are companies’ legal leaders and must be comfortable tackling diverse tasks, from compliance with safety regulations and accessibility laws to managing intellectual property. During the interview process, candidates should demonstrate experience navigating these issues and the ability to provide a sound legal perspective in the context of business challenges. Unlike when GCs were seen as a voice of law and logic, today’s successful legal teams must be highly collaborative, providing advice that minimizes risk while promoting positive organizational outcomes. In the interview, demonstrating collaborative expertise in private practice can help you stand out from other candidates.
Focus on Growth
GCs must always stay in touch with their company’s growth, industry trends, and business opportunities. They must be able to provide strategic guidance on how legal, regulatory, and risk issues can impact a business’s ability to grow. A good general counsel also has strong management skills, especially for a large in-house team. They understand how to recruit, select, develop, direct, and motivate people. They encourage professional development and invest in training programs for their teams. When interviewing candidates, look for a passion for mentoring junior staff and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Also, ask about their experience working with regulators and executive teams. The best GCs are leaders who can inspire strong teams with clear vision and goals. This frees up business owners’ time to focus on growing their businesses.
Focus on Risk Management
As core top management team members, general counsels are seen as driven leaders who push their company to do better and reach for the stars. These qualities often consider intuitive, but they are also honed with practice. GCs must be lawyers and businessmen simultaneously, dispensing legal advice that minimizes risk and promotes positive organizational outcomes. GCs who lack this business-focused outlook can cause management to question their judgment or distrust them.
Focus on Innovation
As businesses look to grow, they need to consider new opportunities and make strategic decisions. These decisions may involve complex issues like contracts, intellectual property, and risk management. GCs who deeply understand these issues can help their companies succeed and ensure they comply. The best GCs are leaders and visionaries, seen as the ultimate legal experts inside and outside their organizations. They regularly demonstrate gravitas and executive presence before groups of shareholders and executives, and they are comfortable with ambiguity when situations arise where right and wrong aren’t clearly defined. Preparing for interviews and meeting with key stakeholders is essential for those interested in becoming a GC to understand the company’s needs better. This will also allow you to determine if this is the kind of team and culture you want to join.