The Strategic GC, Gartner’s General Counsel Podcast

Navigating a New General Counsel Role

Episode Summary

Navigating a new general counsel role can be challenging and time consuming, but setting a strong foundation is crucial for personal success and the company’s trajectory. Get insights on three key areas to focus on during the initial transition period and how to score some quick wins.

Episode Notes

Only have time to listen in bite-sized chunks? Skip straight to the parts of the podcast most relevant to you:

• What does it mean to be an effective GC (2:56)
• How can GC navigate and prioritize various role expectations (4:30)
• Tips for how GC can form and strength relationships with key stakeholders (7:27)
• How should GC handle tricky relationships (11:49)
• Tips on how the GC assess the capabilities of the legal department (13:57)
• Quick wins the GC can take during the initial transition period (17:20)

Transitioning into a new general counsel (GC) role is critical and challenging. To be successful, a new GC should focus on three areas. 

• Understand the expectations of the GC role at their organization
• Form key relationships with the board, executive team, business partners and legal department staff
• Assess the legal department’s maturity, capabilities and processes

In this installment of the Strategic GC Podcast, Gartner research leader Abbott Martin and host Alissa Lugo discuss how new GC can focus on key steps to start their transitions off strong. It includes three areas to focus on, some insights gained from clients navigating these transitions, as well as some quick wins GC can take to signal willingness to be a strategic partner.