The strength of the [new global legal function] model is reflected in the fact that everyone has bought into the new structure, from the lawyers through to the support staffFor general counsel heading up global legal functions the scenario may be a familiar one. When Nick Deeming joined BOC 18 months ago he was confronted with a legal department that was badly out of sync with the business it served.

While the business had moved to a global structure, the legal function remained firmly wedded to the regional focus. The department of 40 lawyers was spread around the world with little communication between lawyers in the different regions.