News

CLOC Survey Shows In-House Legal May Rethink Staffing After Associate Raises—Or Maybe Not

Dan Clark | June 15, 2018

A recent survey from the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium took its members' temperature on associate pay. There was frustration expressed about the Milbank raises, but some indicated they'd be understanding—as long as the costs didn't land on the corporate legal balance sheet.

News

In-House Experts Give Mixed Reaction to New Legal Services Venture From UnitedLex, LeClairRyan

Sue Reisinger | June 15, 2018

A group of experts with plenty of in-house legal experience expressed both enthusiasm and some skepticism about the new ULX Partners launch.

Expert Opinion

What's Market-Rate Compensation for a Midlevel Associate Heading In-House?

Julie Q. Brush| June 15, 2018

Moving in-house is an alluring proposition that has been a major driver for the exodus of today’s young law firm associates.

News

Inspired by His Own Deal Career, a Veteran GC Writes Book on Contracts, Negotiations

Caroline Spiezio | June 14, 2018

The book draws from mistakes that Paul Swegle, a 10-time GC, has seen made in the contract drafting and negotiation process.

News

Panic Over GDPR Noncompliance Fines: Is It Overblown?

Dan Clark | June 14, 2018

At the 2018 NetDiligence Cyber Risk Summit in Philadelphia, experts said that companies don't need to worry as much as they are about General Data Protection Regulation fines.

News

How to Succeed In-House (While Really Trying): 5 Tips From Legal Leaders

Caroline Spiezio | June 13, 2018

In-house lawyers from Pinterest, Microsoft, Sophos and more shared their advice for success at a Stanford University conference this week.

Live Coverage

No More Stigma of the ‘Non’: Where Non-Lawyers Fit in the Legal Ops Ecosystem

Zach Warren | June 13, 2018

While there are differences between lawyers and those without JDs, the gulf is not so great that non-lawyers should be excluded from legal tasks, said panelists at the ACC's Legal Operations conference.

Commentary

What You Need to Know About the European Trade Secrets Directive

Peter Lando and Thomas McNulty| June 12, 2018

Companies doing business in Europe or with European entities should understand the new protections afforded trade secrets in Europe, as well as which countries are in compliance and which have not yet made the necessary changes.

Corporate Dating Policies: Thoughts on Balancing Employee Bliss With Employer Interests

Daniel K. Wiig| June 12, 2018

Corporate counsel, in conjunction with human resources management (HRM), should consider drafting and implementing a balanced dating policy that both respects the employee’s personal lives yet protects the employer’s interests in avoiding touchy personnel matters.

News

Female Legal Leaders From eBay, Udacity and More Discuss Best Practices for the Era of #MeToo

Caroline Spiezio | June 11, 2018

At the 15th annual Stanford E-Commerce Best Practices Conference, a group of powerful female attorneys, including in-house lawyers from the tech world, weighed in on diversity and #MeToo.

Westfield promotes in-house duo to new roles as Europe GC departs following £18.5bn takeover

Krishnan Nair| June 11, 2018

Retail giant splits Europe GC role into UK and Italy roles after multibillion-pound Unibail-Rodamco takeover

Expert Opinion

Connecting With a Recruiter to Keep Your Options Open

Julie Brush| June 08, 2018

I have a great job, in a good location with good people. But I don’t want to discourage recruiters from thinking of me for special opportunities. What is the best way to do this?

News

It Was a Tough Week for Bank General Counsel Around the Globe

Sue Reisinger | June 08, 2018

Internationally, banks had a tough enforcement week--a timely reminder of the importance of a strong compliance focus in the financial services sector.

Simpson Thacher Beijing Partner Joins Private Equity Firm YunFeng Capital

Anna Zhang| June 08, 2018

Corporate partner Shaolin Luo has joined Shanghai-based YunFeng Capital as general counsel

News

GDPR Making It Tougher to Catch Certain IP Violators, Attorneys Say

Dan Clark | June 07, 2018

GDPR has raised some new issues around domain ownership and infringement. But hold tight—the situation may improve down the road.

How to Improve In-House Effectiveness

Abbott Martin| June 07, 2018

Boosting department effectiveness doesn’t require huge investments in new systems, but instead a leadership and management focus that weighs the creation of system capacity as much as it does the priority matter sitting on your desk.

News

Legal Operations in the US vs. Europe: Is it So Different Across the Pond?

Dan Clark | June 07, 2018

There are some distinctions, experts say, but ops is not as different in Europe as one might expect.

LexisNexis, Australian Human Rights Commission Look to Tame Emerging Tech

Rhys Dipshan | June 07, 2018

Alongside government, academic and legal organizations, LexisNexis will participate in an Australian Human Rights Commission project examining emerging technologies' impact on human rights.

'We Didn’t Buy Carillion to do a Freshfields' – CC’s New London head on Ramping up Newcastle and Creating the Firm of the Future

Georgina Stanley and Hannah Roberts| June 07, 2018

Michael Bates on his 'baptism of fire' since taking up the leadership reins in CC's London HQ

Expert Opinion

Safeguarding Your Company: Obtaining Recovery for Antitrust Violations

Cindy Caranella Kelly and Sarah Gibbs Leivick| June 06, 2018

There are circumstances where litigation may not necessarily be the optimal strategy for obtaining appropriate redress and recovering damages caused by collusion.

Has Hong Kong's Legal Tech Moment Arrived?

Rhys Dipshan | June 06, 2018

A movement is taking hold in the city to bring legal tech into the mainstream and make Hong Kong a legal tech player in its own right. Will it succeed?

RBS puts firms on notice for panel review as Freshfields advises on £2.5bn share sale

Rose Walker| June 06, 2018

Bank tells advisers it will kick off formal review of legal panel in coming months

Ocado general counsel bags £8m after selling one million shares in online supermarket

Joseph Evans| June 06, 2018

Legal chief at online retailer earns multimillion-pound sum with share sale

Ocado general counsel bags £8m after selling one million shares in online supermarket

Joseph Evans| June 06, 2018

Legal chief at online retailer earns multimillion-pound sum with share sale

News

Beyond CLO: Nokia's Maria Varsellona Adds Role as President of Company's Tech, Licensing Business

Caroline Spiezio | June 05, 2018

The Finnish company has bumped its CLO up, giving Varsellona new executive responsibilities.

Expert Opinion

Words to Live By for a Successful Career

Julie Brush| June 05, 2018

Words matter. And if you are a professional who cares about career and personal success, you must appreciate the power of words—their benefits and their dangers.

Taking Company Documents to Support Whistleblowing— When Is 'Self Help' Unlawful?

Kevin Griffith and Ed Ellis| June 05, 2018

Even as federal protections for whistleblowers have expanded, employers can still take strategic actions to address employees taking confidential and proprietary business information to provide to a governmental agency or for use in a whistleblower action.

Expert Opinion

GCs: How to Manage New Hire Expectations

Mike Evers| June 05, 2018

The results from the 2018 Career Satisfaction survey for in-house counsel make it abundantly clear that most of you crave upward mobility.

Commentary

The Power of an Idea

Frank Ramos| June 04, 2018

If you can create an environment in your legal department where ideas are born, germinate, grow and flourish, you will create a legal department that solves not only legal problems, but business problems, sales problems, customer problems and every company problem imaginable.

Post-Merger, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Sells Stake in Lawyers on Demand

Joseph Evans| May 30, 2018

Since spinning off in 2012, the business has grown rapidly, merging with Australian contract attorney outfit AdventBalance in 2016 and expanding to more than 600 lawyers and consultants.

Rising Vacation Management Company Hires First CLO

Anna Ward | May 30, 2018

A vacation rental management company based in Oregon announced the hiring of an experienced IPO attorney as its first chief legal officer on Wednesday.

News

European Billionaire's Investment Group Hires New GC

Dan Clark | May 29, 2018

Waypoint Capital Group, the business associated with the investments of the billionaire Bertarelli family, announced on May 22 that Ron Cami would take over as general counsel.

News

Australia's AMP Appoints David Cullen as Group General Counsel

Sue Reisinger | May 29, 2018

AMP Ltd., Australia’s largest wealth manager, has appointed David Cullen as its new group general counsel. Cullen replaces Brian Salter, who was terminated last month.

More than 80 firms set to bid for £320m Crown Commercial Service panel

Rose Walker| May 29, 2018

Government panel, which covers regional and full service work across the UK, set to commence in August

News

Noble Energy Hires Rachel Clingman as Legal Chief

Stephanie Forshee | May 25, 2018

Clingman takes over the role after former GC Arnold Johnson abruptly departed last November.

News

Everyone's Worried About GDPR, but It May Be the Y2K of Data Privacy

Dan Clark | May 25, 2018

The message that lawyers have for companies nervous about GDPR compliance and heavy fines: For now, keep calm and carry on.

News

Why Blockchain Poses an Unusual Challenge for GDPR Compliance

Gabrielle Orum Hernández | May 25, 2018

Many of GDPR’s biggest mandates are fundamentally incompatible with blockchain technology. How can blockchain operators find common ground with the new regulation?

Global Trade Sanctions Picture Growing Tenser and Murkier for General Counsel

Sue Reisinger| May 24, 2018

Recent action by the U.S. on the sanctions front has given American companies reason to be leery. Sometimes, with cross-border transactions, it's tough to even know which country's legal regime to follow.

News

The GDPR and China's Cyber Law: Following One Doesn't Mean Following Both

Ian Lopez | May 24, 2018

The General Data Protection Regulation and China's Cybersecurity Law are aligned in many ways, though there are enough divisions that privacy counsel should be wary in creating a plan to comply with both.

The 5 Secrets to Setting up a Legal Operations Function

Zach Warren| May 24, 2018

If you don’t already have a legal ops function, odds are that you’re looking into it. You should be; there are many benefits of a well-constructed legal ops function.

News

Facebook Names Data Protection Officer as GDPR Deadline Nears

Caroline Spiezio | May 23, 2018

Stephen Deadman will be stepping in as data protection officer for Facebook at a time when the company's data practices are under more scrutiny than ever.

3 Reasons Why AI Requires an Essential Human Component in RegTech

Kayvan Alikhani, Compliance.ai.| May 23, 2018

In the best interest of accurate data, enlisting a team of industry or topic-focused experts will give the AI the direction it needs to better analyze and classify data.

How Mexichem's GC Brought His Team Together by Building a Global Compliance Program

Sue Reisinger| May 22, 2018

Francisco Hernandez of Mexichem took a group of disparate lawyers spread throughout the world and shaped them into a global legal function using a rather surprising tool--ethics and compliance.

AmEx's GC Laureen Seeger Opens Up About Diversity, Mentoring, and Pay Equity

Stephanie Forshee| May 22, 2018

In an interview with Corporate Counsel, the high-powered GC shared why diversity and inclusion are so important to her and what she and AmEx are doing to level the playing field.

Most US and EU Companies Not Ready for New Data Privacy Law, Survey Says

Sue Reisinger| May 21, 2018

With the Friday GDPR deadline approaching, the report said 63 percent of U.S. respondents stated they will be largely or completely compliant. The report said there is “a mixed picture across Europe,” however.

For More Diversity, In-House Legal Leaders Say: Be Intentional, Show Bottom-Line Benefits

Kristen Rasmussen| May 21, 2018

On May 18, a group of attorneys from major companies gathered in the Atlanta offices of Greenberg Traurig to share their experiences with building diversity.

Digital Wealth Management Firm Personal Capital Names First GC

Stephanie Forshee| May 21, 2018

"My experience helping technology companies grow and stay ahead of the increasingly complex legal and compliance matters as they scale will allow me to add value right from the start," said new general counsel Allison Amadia.

The Security Challenges with Bringing Blockchain In-House

Rhys Dipshan| May 21, 2018

Properly securing blockchain-enabled technologies such as smart contracts requires not only traditional cybersecurity protections, but also coordination across multiple different teams.

After 38 Years at Dow, GC Charles Kalil Announces Retirement

Caroline Spiezio| May 18, 2018

Associate General Counsel Amy Wilson will step in as general counsel-elect after Kalil's exit later this year.

News

Kate Logan Takes the Mic as Warner Music's New International General Counsel

Caroline Spiezio | May 18, 2018

Logan will be in charge of WMG's legal affairs around the world, including in North Africa and the Middle East, where the company recently added a new division.

Changing Minds and Tech Platforms: What Makes a Lean Lawyer

Rhys Dipshan| May 18, 2018

Legal professionals are being challenged to become lean and efficient lawyers. And for most, that means deploying legal technologies, new workflows, and particularly, a new way of thinking.

Will the GDPR Apply to U.S. Government Agencies?

Rhys Dipshan| May 18, 2018

Though the GDPR applies to both public and private entities, the U.S. government will likely rely on ad-hoc agreements to meet some of its obligations instead of fully complying.

News

Chinese Foreign Trademark Applications Set to Outnumber Those Submitted From US by 2020

Dan Clark | May 17, 2018

A new study from CompuMark indicates the United States should watch its back with global trademark applications.

GDPR Could Be a 'Spark for New Business Models,' IBM Survey Says

Dan Clark| May 16, 2018

59 percent say the GDPR is a chance 'for transformation or a spark for new data-led business models.'

Corporate Law 2.0: What It Means to Be a 'Chief Legal Innovation Counsel'

Rhys Dipshan| May 16, 2018

Former GE executive counsel Farrah Pepper discusses her move to Marsh & McLennan as its new chief legal innovation counsel, where she says her primary job is to make things "click."

Novartis GC to Step Down after Admitting $1.2m Contract with Trump Lawyer was an Error

Anna Ward | May 16, 2018

Pharma company's legal chief takes "personal responsibility" to end public debate over contract with Michael Cohen

Weetabix Hires Former Shoosmiths Partner as New Head of Legal

Anna Ward | May 16, 2018

Food company behind brands such as Alpen and Ready Brek recruits new legal chief

Uber Legal Chief Explains Decision to Scrap NDAs for Sexual Harassment Claims

Stephanie Forshee| May 15, 2018

Chief legal officer Tony West on the rationale behind his company's new policies on how it deals with claims of sexual harassment and assault

Expert Opinion

India: An Emerging Economic Powerhouse and the Need for In-House Counsel

Pooja Mahbubani| May 14, 2018

With sustained economic growth above 7 percent and an exploding start-up culture, the Indian economy is booming. And thanks to the ongoing economic liberalization brought about by the Modi government, it’s never been more accessible for foreign companies.

Co-op Group Overhauls Legal Panel with Seven Firms Appointed to New Combined Roster

Rose Walker| May 14, 2018

Two firms win new appointments as Co-op Group combines corporate, commercial and property panels

News

Not Just GDPR: Questions Abound as EU Cybersecurity Directive Comes Online

Rhys Dipshan | May 11, 2018

Since each EU nation can implement the Network and Information Security (NIS) directive in its own way, there is uncertainty over what local and international companies will be covered.

News

The GDPR Deadline is Coming, Get That Cyber Insurance Policy Ready

Dan Clark | May 10, 2018

Attorneys said that companies need to be especially thoughtful about their cyber coverage now that the GDPR is imposing tougher rules on many of them around data.

News

Alternative Legal Service Providers Make the Case for Themselves in GDPR Compliance

Gabrielle Orum Hernández | May 10, 2018

Alternative legal service providers have long made the case that they can disrupt the way businesses manage legal services. Will GDPR and Brexit let these providers prove their case?

News

After 4 Months at City National Bank, Jared Wolff Becomes General Counsel

Caroline Spiezio | May 09, 2018

It hasn't taken very long for Wolff to take a step up at City National.

Facebook is Banning Foreign Ad Buys Around an Irish Referendum. Could it Do the Same in the US?

Caroline Spiezio | May 09, 2018

Facebook Inc.'s strategy around Ireland's Eighth Amendment referendum could also apply to U.S. elections this November, attorneys said.

You Need to Network Like Your Life Depends on It—and Other Reflections on Founding a Start Up as a Lawyer

Ben White| May 09, 2018

As the traditional legal career path evolves into more of a career “zig zag,” an increasing number of lawyers, like me, are finding themselves pursuing…

How to Handle EU Employee Data Under the New General Data Protection Regulation

Dan Clark | May 08, 2018

There are plenty of complexities around how companies can and can't use the personal data of EU employees under the massive new GDPR.

Analysis

The Future of Law: How In-House Counsel Will Hire Outside Counsel

Frank Ramos, Clarke Silverglate| May 08, 2018

Analytics will play a major role in hiring moving forward, forcing many law firms to adjust their strategies.

Expert Opinion

Matter Management Can’t Do It All

James Beckett| May 07, 2018

Innovative legal leaders are measuring beyond the level of just matter management. They are measuring subjective performance data and sharing the results with their law firms.

News

New Working Group Aims to Improve Outside Counsel Matchmaking for Legal Departments

Caroline Spiezio | May 07, 2018

A "Tinder" for matching in-house and outside counsel is one of the big ideas on the table for the group, which consists of legal department and law firm representatives.

News

Don't Forget the Soft Skills: In-House Counsel Now Boosting Public Speaking, People Skills

Caroline Spiezio | May 04, 2018

The popularity of "soft skills" sessions at last week's CLOC annual institute is a testament to how important building these abilities is becoming for in-house professionals.

News

New Report Shows GDPR Compliance Is 'More Like a Marathon Than a 100-Yard Dash'

Gabrielle Orum Hernández | May 04, 2018

A report from McDermott Will & Emery and the Ponemon Institute finds that GDPR compliance is still a ways off for many organizations.

As GDPR looms, international law firms do double duty on compliance

Dan Packel| May 04, 2018

With just three weeks until the 25 May deadline, global firms are still grappling with the challenges presented by the new General Data Protection Regulation

News

Business Crossing the Border? Hire Local Lawyers But Beware of Pitfalls, Experts Say

Sue Reisinger | May 03, 2018

“It’s neither simple to go overseas, nor is it something that’s impossible. It is becoming more imperative for many companies to do it,” one expert said.

News

Law Departments Are Seeing More Class Actions, No New Staff to Manage Them, Survey Says

Stephanie Forshee | May 03, 2018

The 2018 Carlton Fields Class Action Survey indicated that in-house legal departments have to deal with more class actions than before, but aren't getting a corresponding increase in staff devoted to these types of matters.

Sourcing Your Next Great Hire

Mike Evers| May 03, 2018

Every general counsel understands the importance of hiring the right people. Take your time. And do your best to take control of the process.

Analysis

3 Ways the GDPR Will Change How Legal Professionals Work

Ben Hancock | May 02, 2018

Experts share their insights on how the massive EU privacy law not only changes the landscape for companies, but affects their approach to practicing law and e-discovery.

Some Companies Slow to Embrace #MeToo Workplace Changes: Littler Survey

Erin Mulvaney | May 02, 2018

A majority of the respondents, 66 percent, ranked sexual harassment as a top issue on their radar.

Event

Breaking Down Silos: SoLI’s Pitch for How to Join In Legal Change

Christy Burke, Burke & Co.| May 02, 2018

Experts from law schools, law firms, corporate legal departments and legal tech companies descended upon Vanderbilt Law School to discuss what the future of law looks like—together.

News

Legal Departments See Cost-Controlling Value in Technology

Rhys Dipshan | May 02, 2018

The 2nd Annual Study of Legal Spend Management found that legal departments still have room to mature in how they measure and control their legal spend.

In-House Counsel Have Plenty to Do to Prepare for GDPR Deadline

Dan Clark | May 01, 2018

In a new Association of Corporate Counsel survey, some 47 percent of respondents reported they must change data security standards; 45 percent said they have to alter their breach notification procedures; and 43 percent said they need to modify incident response plans.

News

Let the Bidding Begin: Why Reverse Auctions Have Worked for In-House Leaders

Caroline Spiezio | May 01, 2018

A former AIG legal ops director and two current leaders at GSK weighed in on why legal departments might want to take reverse auctions into consideration, if they aren't already using this tactic.

News

GDPR Is Here! Are You Ready?

Sue Reisinger | May 01, 2018

About two years and several million dollars in, Meera Patel, assistant general counsel for regulatory affairs at Cardinal Health Inc., says her Dublin,…

News

Former MetLife General Counsel to Be Top Lawyer at Freddie Mac

Dan Clark | April 30, 2018

Veteran in-house counsel Ricardo Anzaldua is next in line to take over the company's legal department.

News

US Trade Representative's Office Finds Weak IP Protection Regimes in China (and Canada?)

Dan Clark | April 30, 2018

The USTR's latest "Priority Watch List" for IP rights featured both perennial members and new surprises.

Analysis

The GDPR Cyber Insurance Checklist: Are You Covered?

Judy Selby, Judy Selby Consulting| April 30, 2018

Even companies that currently have cyber insurance in place may not have optimal coverage for the wide variety of exposures under the GDPR.

Analysis

The Big Law Boomerang That Brings In-House Attorneys Back to Firms

Lizzy McLellan | April 27, 2018

What makes corporate counsel return to law firm work?

News

Perception of Corruption Continues to Be High in Emerging Markets, Survey Says

Dan Clark | April 27, 2018

According to new data from EY Global Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services, executives still see corruption as a sizable problem, especially in emerging markets across the globe.

News

'I Hope This Is the Start of Something Bigger': Barclays UK GC Pagni on 'Turbo-Charging' Technology in Law

Anna Ward | April 27, 2018

Barclays U.K. GC Stephanie Pagni discusses the bank's launch of a law-tech hub and what she expects from partner law firms.

News

How DHL's GC Mark Smolik Became More Than Just a Lawyer, But a Business Partner, Too

Caroline Spiezio | April 27, 2018

Many general counsel aspire to play bigger roles in the business. Here's how one GC pulled it off.

Expert Opinion

How to Score an In-House Job Without In-House Experience

Julie Brush| April 27, 2018

Whether you’re a litigator or a transaction lawyer, the lack of in-house experience can put you at a competitive disadvantage when applying for an in-house position.

Q&A

Women of Legal Tech: Getting Deals Done While Overcoming Unconscious Bias

Monica Bay| April 26, 2018

Doxly CEO and founder Haley Altman discusses her definition for "managing up," why she picked law over medicine, and more.

Analysis

Why the UK's 'Right to be Forgotten' Ruling Has Limited Impact

Rhys Dipshan | April 26, 2018

A U.K. court’s ruling in NT1 v. Google and NT2 v. Google underscored how right to be forgotten determinations are unique to each individual case and country, and may likely change under the GDPR.

News

Most Companies Report Working Hard on GDPR, But Health Care and Finance Lag

Sue Reisinger | April 25, 2018

New data from Netsparker indicates that when it comes to preparing for the new EU privacy law, not all industries are created equal.

The Rise of the In-House Legal Counsel Role in China

Jack McDouall| April 25, 2018

From bureaucracy to cultural differences, the challenges of operating in China are well known. In order to stay competitive and address the global needs of customers, both Chinese businesses and foreign companies operating in China are rushing to develop sophisticated corporate legal departments.

News

For Better Outside Counsel Relationships, Tell Firms How They're Being Measured

Caroline Spiezio | April 25, 2018

"It feels like the law firms are going to do what we ask them to do, but oftentimes, we’re not telling them what we want," said one in-house ops leader at the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium's annual institute.

News

When it Comes to Diversity, Female GCs Want More Than Mere 'Tokenism' From Outside Firms

Caroline Spiezio | April 23, 2018

At the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium's annual institute in Las Vegas, top female in-house lawyers explained what they want from outside firms. To impress these powerful attorneys, it's clear law firms will need to practice what they preach on diversity.

News

Lawyers Continue to Dominate Legal Ops Role, CLOC Study Shows

Stephanie Forshee | April 23, 2018

New data from CLOC and LawGeex shows that attorneys are parlaying their skills into legal ops roles.

News

#MeToo Comes to CLOC, as Female In-House Leaders Share Their Stories of Workplace Sexism

Caroline Spiezio | April 23, 2018

On its opening day, the CLOC Institute featured a frank discussion between female in-house leaders about gender and the very real problems they've faced in their careers just because they are women.

Expert Opinion

Tactics for Shattering the Glass Ceiling and Building the Next Generation of Glass Breakers

Kim Stuart| April 23, 2018

Leadership is defined as “The ability of an individual to ‘lead’ or guide other individuals, teams or entire organizations. … A process of…