Over the past decade, the role of the general counsel has changed dramatically. Once viewed as what Caribou Coffee’s GC Dan Lee likes to call “the keeper of no,” valued primarily for his or her ability to keep the company out of legal trouble, the GC is now expected to be an integral part of the strategic business team.
The ongoing economic crisis has heightened that expectation–financially strapped companies need ideas to move the business forward and in-house lawyers who are true partners in that effort.
