GC Magazine > Business thinking | In-house management

Der Freshfields-Skandal | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

When the German government says of a law firm that it ‘cannot conceive that new work will be placed there’, that firm has a major problem. Does that reputational damage threaten Freshfields’ global practice, and what questions does it pose to the firm’s new leadership?

Falling angels | Freshfields Cum-Ex Repercussions

It has been a difficult year for Freshfields. In PR terms it has been an annus horribilis, and the enormity of the challenge faced by the firm’s first female senior partner, Georgia Dawson, cannot be understated.

In Conversation: James Stebbing, general counsel, Six Nations Rugby and the British & Irish Lions | GC Online

James Stebbing talks to GC about breaking into sports law, working with two of rugby’s best-loved sporting brands and what the COVID-19 pandemic means for next year’s South African tour and beyond.

Trusted advisor: women in leadership | Being the change

In a collaboration between GC and Finnegan, key partners and senior in-house clients explore the challenges for women in assuming leadership roles in the legal industry, through a series of videos and extensive editorial.

GC Experiences

GC on Tour

In our GC on Tour blog, we showcase the stories of counsel we encounter on our travels, sharing a snapshot of what life as a lawyer entails

Mediations in an emergency
GC Online

GC talks to veteran lawyers and dispute resolution experts Jane Player and Wolf von Kumberg about the role mediation plays in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on businesses, the courts and the economy – as well as the opportunity it provides for in-house counsel to add value to their companies.
Fighting Fires
Disaster Response

General counsel are often referred to as firefighters as they actively work with business partners to guide companies out of times of crisis. But what happens when the crisis is not a metaphorical fire – but an actual fire?
In Conversation: Rupert Skellett, General Counsel, Beggars Group
In Conversation

As general counsel for one of the UK’s premier record companies, Skellett tells GC about the realities of being at the forefront of negotiations with some of the world’s most exciting artists.
In Conversation: Dan Webster, Group General Counsel, Harrods
In Conversation

Webster talks to GC about what it takes to advise one of the world’s most recognized department stores.

GC + Finnegan: Trusted Advisor – Women in Leadership

Beauty’s Black Market
The dark side of cosmetics

If it appears to be a steal, it probably is. GC speaks to industry experts and heavyweight lawyers within the world’s most popular cosmetic brands about the challenges of dealing with the global proliferation of counterfeit cosmetics.
Banking on legal
Parting thoughts

Having spent over 20 years serving as in-house counsel in South Africa, HSBC Africa general counsel Henk Crouse has been one of the few constant presences within his company. As this chapter in his life is set to close in the near future, Crouse looks back on his time at HSBC, discloses his keys to success and looks to the future.
All in the mind
What makes executives tick?

GC picks the brains of psychologists to uncover insights for corporate counsel to bear in mind…
GC Insider: Timo Matthias Spitzer
Leadership with integrity

Internationally acclaimed GC Timo Matthias Spitzer, chairman of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist advisory board for Germany, ACC Global and European Counsel Award Winner 2019, adjunct professor and board member of the Institute for Law and Finance at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, makes the case for human(e) leadership with integrity.
In Conversation: Othelia Langner, head of legal and compliance (Southern Africa and SSA), Medtronic
In Conversation

With a career in private practice taking her from South Africa to London, Moscow and Kazakhstan, Langner went in-house at global medical device company, Medtronic. She shares the challenges and rewards of her role.
In Conversation: Alex Scudamore, head of legal, Wimbledon – The All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Limited
In Conversation

As head of legal at Wimbledon, Scudamore has the unique task of advising one of the United Kingdom’s most treasured brands. She talks about her journey to Wimbledon and the challenges faced by the organisation.
Changing Gears
Road Regulation

Autonomous vehicle technology is already redefining the way businesses and cities around the world approach transport. With the transportation revolution well underway, GC magazine speaks to the industry’s lawyers and thought leaders about the road ahead for autonomous vehicles.
In Conversation: Ria Sanz, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Compliance and Company Secretary, AngloGold Ashanti
In Conversation

Sanz considers the keys to success and the importance of values when heading a legal and compliance team in the mining sector.
2020 ACC CLO Survey: Key Findings
Corporate Legal Departments

The Association of Corporate Counsel has published its in-depth survey of over 1,000 chief legal officers from 47 countries.

Xae Hoyy Loh, general counsel and compliance officer, Pilmico International

Legal technology is something we have been exploring long before COVID-19 arrived, but the current pandemic has certainly forced us to fast track projects that we had been planning for the future. I would not say that we are using sophisticated systems – in our market sector it is not necessary to be at the …

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Chek Tsang Foo, SVP, deputy general counsel, NTT

When I moved in-house around 20 years ago I knew I wanted to work in the IT industry. The pace of change made it the most exciting place for a lawyer to work, and I have been in the front row ever since. While many of the business technologies we use on a daily basis …

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Chee Hoong Pang, Head of Legal Asia, WSP

For GCs, technology is very much a love-hate relationship. We love using technology and are increasingly reliant on it, even though we hate to admit it. The pressure every business has been under to work remotely is showing us how much we rely on technology to operate, which was a trend that started long ago. …

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Marcus Clayton, general counsel and company secretary, Adelaide Brighton Cement (Adbri)

The number one goal of innovation in our legal team, in an organisation manufacturing basic commodities, is to be able to do more with less – to consistently deliver high quality outputs at lower cost, so we are contributing to improving our organisation’s profit. There’s always pressure to keep costs to the minimum, but there …

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Ivy Wu, head of legal for Greater China, DXC Technology

Digital transformation is a hot topic right now and DXC Technology is an industry leader in this field. We leverage technological innovations to deliver better business outcomes by driving new levels of performance, competitiveness and lower prices. Put simply, we work hard to make sure other businesses stay ahead of the curve when it comes …

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Carl Watson, general counsel – Asia, Arcadis

Arcadis may not compete (yet!) with Apple in the brand recognition stakes, but in the world of environmental engineering its right up there with the iPhone as the premier player in its space. For over 130 years, from its roots in the Netherlands, where it was an early pioneer in redevelopment of land, water and …

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Faz Hussen, general counsel and director, government relations, McDonald’s

Most of our software is built in-house and customised for the legal team’s own use. Using home-grown software has two main advantages. It is obviously much cheaper, and developing our own in-house software means that we can hedge on business costs as opposed to getting them signed off for external technology. Perhaps a bigger advantage …

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Per Hoffman, vice president and head of legal affairs and sourcing, North East Asia, Ericsson

Asia is a very impressive part of the world where people are generally more technologically driven. It is this drive that motivates companies to continuously innovate. Asians are generally early adopters of tech, and customers are very advanced when it comes to embracing new technology. When I compare Asia to Europe everything is on a …

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As Nationalist Agenda Advances, Latin American Businesses Mull Options Abroad | GC Online

With the steady rise of nationalist regimes across Latin America, Michael J. McGuinness and Ferdinand Mason look at the changing political dynamics (often phrased as a response to the global pandemic) and their impact on the business environment.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: a Global Challenge | A Global Challenge

Eversheds Sutherland’s Diane Gilhooley examines the key issues in the management of global harassment investigations and reviews the latest legal developments around the world.