Since we published our first GC Powerlist in the United States, the series has gone from strength to strength in countries ranging from Australia to Costa Rica, and South Africa to China. We have interviewed tens of thousands of general counsel, and highlighted some of the very best GCs and in-house teams around the world. And now, in early 2019, we find ourselves back with the United States. But for the biggest legal market, where do we go from here?
Simple answer: bigger. For the first time, we have expanded the GC Powerlist to include the leading 500 GCs, representing some of the largest global corporations, to tech-savvy start-ups and everything in between. And for the first time, we have also included the leading lights in legal operations, an area which is threatening to dominate the in-house conversation for the next decade.
The full GC Powerlist is available from 22 March 2019 at legal500.com/gcpowerlist, and features interviews and insight from the pre-eminent in-house leaders in the United States, including:
‘Last year, I had sole responsibility of negotiating with over 460 law firms on a comprehensive engagement agreement. This effort was the foundation of fundamental changes in how we engage and retain law firms,’ – Alan Bryan, Walmart.
‘The wider company has profited not only by the expert legal advice delivered in a non-judgemental, collegial way, but also by the sense of common purpose that results from a true partnership between in-house lawyers and their business clients,’ – James E Ballowe Jr, E*Trade.
‘The number one piece of advice I would give an aspiring in-house lawyer is to read and listen. I need to anticipate what’s coming so that business can be ahead of the curve,’ – Susan L Lees, Allstate.
‘I deeply believe that the legal function must be an integral part of the company, rather than viewed as standing in opposition to what the company is doing,’ – Rena Hozore Reiss, Marriott International.
The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist is sponsored by Linklaters, Basham and Yerra Solutions, and is supported by the International Bar Association and the Association of Corporate Counsel.