United Kingdom 2016
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
For the 2016 edition of GC Powerlist we return to the original format of the report – launched in 2013 – focusing on senior general counsel (GCs). Over that time, the report has expanded hugely to become one of the most important strands of Legalease’s portfolio. Expanding the report also reflects the reality that in understanding GCs, you need to look at the specifics. While law firms operate on a few variants of the same model, in-house teams are defined much more by the industry and the individual company in which they work.
But there are broad trends as well. The upward march of the in-house profession that this report was originally launched to chronicle has, if anything, accelerated. While law firms are struggling for growth in many sectors, in-house teams continue to expand in the UK and take on greater swathes of work. It’s becoming increasingly mainstream to encounter teams with multimillion-pound budgets that put only a tiny minority of their work to law firms. Where they are instructing outside counsel, a good proportion of GCs now barely bother to conceal their tactic of pushing law firms down the value chain… and their teams correspondingly upwards.
RPC’s managing partner on how the modern GC made law a part of business (and vice versa).
It was late 2012 when RPC first became involved with Legal Business’ GC Powerlist. Back then, over four years after Lehman Brothers collapsed, the world economy was still looking parlous.
Another four years on and, although we’re now certainly on a firmer footing economically, there are still plenty of reasons to be fearful, or at least cautious, over what the future might hold for businesses: the slowdown in China; the collapse in the price of oil; stock market woes, here and in Asia; and uncertainty surrounding Britain’s possible exit from Europe, to name just a few.
Jonathan Watmough
Managing Partner
RPC
On Thursday 9 October, Legal 500 hosted its first gala dinner in Athens to launch the GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus 2025, in partnership with Andersen Legal, IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
The GC Powerlist celebrates the integral role of in-house counsel and acknowledges their achievements. Legal 500 was honoured, once again, to recognise an impressive group of leading General Counsel and senior in-house counsel from across the region.
Guests arrived at the idyllic National Garden in the heart of Athens for drinks in the courtyard of AIGLI ZAPPEIOU, before making their way inside for the perfectly crafted three-course dinner – accompanied by a gift from IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
Isabel Caine, Event Content Editor at Legal 500, kicked off the evening with opening remarks. Theodore Pistiolis, Managing Partner at Andersen Legal, and Christina Ioannidou, Partner at IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC, also took to the stage to welcome those in attendance and congratulate the honourees.
The keynote speech was delivered by Anastasia Petsinari, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Corporate Governance at Optima Banl. She spoke about the many facets of the in-house role and how General Counsel must lead with influence, judgement and trust. She highlighted that the success of in-house counsel is not only reflected in work completed, but also in the credibility and relationships built up within their organisation over time. And, of course, that behind every successful General Counsel is a great in-house team.
The dinner provided ample opportunity for networking and discussions. Across the ten tables, attendees were able to connect with colleagues, both former and current, peers and friends. Lively conversations carried on long into the evening, as guests moved to the foyer for espresso and post-dinner drinks.
Honourees then collected their certificates and gifts from Andersen Legal before having their photographs taken at the photowall to commemorate the occasion.
Legal 500 extends congratulations to each and every person who made it onto this year’s GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus and is honoured to celebrate such an impressive cohort of in-house counsel, along with Andersen Legal, IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
