Risk, When Tamed, Is An Opportunity

The canvas of risk has expanded exponentially. The avalanche of data, the thicket of regulation, and the march of technology have created a business environment where it's imprudent to speak about risk as though it can be completely eliminated.

Within this landscape, the legal department has emerged as a key custodian of risk. But what exactly is its role today? One way to answer that is to look back: to trace how Business's expectations of Legal have evolved over the last three decades.

My perspective is shaped by flashbacks from my own career, which has moved across law firms, corporations, and consulting firms in India. While each company may have been at a different stage in its journey at a given time, the broader story reveals how the relationship between Business and Legal has shifted in fundamental ways.