How to become a general counsel, and what to think, know, and master on your way
Highlights
- Aspiring general counsel must genuinely desire this demanding role and its significant responsibilities.
- Strategic thinking, executive presence, and continuous skill development are crucial for career advancement.
- Cultivating strong soft skills and business acumen is essential for success in a general counsel position.
Many in-house lawyers have this question: how do I become general counsel? In particular, what skills should I develop if I have eyes on the top job? If you aspire to become GC, it is never too early to start planning how to develop the right skills and get on the right people’s radar.
According to GC’s, here are some things you need to think about, know, or master on the path to becoming general counsel.
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Build your executive presence.
Expand and enhance your legal skills.
Do you genuinely want it?
First, you must decide whether you are truly interested in the job. Being “the boss” sounds good, but being general counsel is a tough job that involves long hours and a lot of pressure. You must make critical decisions with little time and sparse facts.
Your schedule is rarely your own. This means spending many evenings, weekends, and holidays working. You will need to keep your phone on and close by 24/7 and it will be tough to balance work and family. As general counsel, you are the final decision point.
On the plus side, the rewards are real: joining the executive team, compensation, prestige, rewarding work, and building the legal department you envision.
Get on “the list.”
Next, make your interest known the right people. It’s unlikely anyone will recognise your potential for the role without your input. It takes planning, hard work, and a little self-promotion. If you enjoy where you work now and think you would like to sit in the general counsel’s chair eventually, let your manager know about your interest.
In these days of remote work, it’s important to stay visible. Seek honest feedback about your performance and what you need to do to make the succession plan for general counsel. Take your annual review seriously. Go in with a clear plan to discuss your GC interest and highlight your skills and accomplishments.
If your opportunities lie outside the company, connect with legal recruiters. Let them know of your interest so you’re top of mind when opportunities arise.
Learn to think strategically.
Providing strong legal work is a given. Your executive team and business partners want a lawyer who thinks strategically — someone who sees beyond immediate legal issues to anticipate what’s ahead and how it impacts the business operationally and legally.
To think strategically, constantly scan for risks and opportunities, and then communicate your insights quickly and clearly.
Build your executive presence.
You want to catch the eye of both general counsel and other company executives. Remember that every interaction, meeting, and conversation with a senior leader is an audition for the general counsel job. They will remember whether you come across as someone they would trust to lead legal processes during litigation or significant M&A transactions — someone they would follow in a crisis. Everything matters from how you communicate to how you present yourself. It all gets filed away for future consideration.
Accordingly, be sure to come across as executive material in your dealings with the business. Much of this involves how you advise and present legal issues. Everyone wants to see gravitas in their lawyers — can you convey that heft? Can you contextualise complex legal issues so that non-lawyers can understand? Can you be a teacher? Are you needlessly wordy or overly talkative? In meetings, do you weigh in with good questions to show you’re paying attention and make solid points or observations when appropriate?
You should be confident but not arrogant. Remember the basics: sit up straight, don’t slouch, and make good eye contact. Think on your feet but prepare for every meeting by anticipating likely questions and crafting your responses in advance. If you want to be general counsel in the future, start acting, talking, and dressing like one now.
Expand and enhance your legal skills.
General counsel handle many types of legal issues including litigation, contracts, intellectual property, and corporate governance. Take advantage of every opportunity to acquire skills in multiple areas of the law. Raise your hand and volunteer to help. You don’t have to be an expert, but being familiar with the basics of litigation or commercial agreements will serve you well. Also, consider undertaking CPD (Continuous Professional Development) courses to fill in any gaps or join a relevant Law Society network.
The point is to continuously expand your legal skills and credentials. This will matter when you pursue the general counsel role.
Build up your soft skills.
Being a good lawyer is not enough anymore — the C-suite and board assume you have good legal skills. It is critical that you can demonstrate non-legal skills, or soft skills. Here are just a few that matter:
- Demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills
- Display sound judgment, ethics, and integrity by making good decisions with imperfect information, especially in grey areas of right and wrong
- Possess business and financial acumen by understand balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and cash flow
- Use legal efforts to advance business interests strategically
- Think about the “big picture”
- Partner easily by influencing decisions and being self-aware
- Be proactive and get things done
- Show the ability to effectively “triage” problems
- Prove your discipline and drive — First one in, last one out
- Manage crises well
- Act like an owner, not an employee
- Think globally
- Try new things — be comfortable with technology and willing to adapt
If you want to become general counsel, promote the full range of your skills to your manager and current general counsel. You are responsible for your career and seeking out opportunities.
One rarely gets “discovered”; if you have the drive and desire, now is the time to start creating your plan to get to the top. Fortunately, in-house lawyers with access to Practical Law have a wealth of resources to help them do just that.
Find out more about the role of GC: read our “How to soar when flying solo as a general counsel” white paper.
