As the role of general counsel in large businesses continues to evolve, the terminology used to describe these professionals seems to be shifting as well. The term “trusted business adviser” has been used extensively in recent years to define the heightened influence and status these legal experts hold within their respective organizations. This trend, however, may be on the wane.
As Burford Capital General Counsel Mark Klein pointed out, being a “‘trusted business adviser’ almost numbs the brain.” He stressed the need for general counsels to avoid becoming obstacles or complicating business affairs. “If I’m going to be an obstruction, if I’m going to make your life more complicated, you are going to avoid me,” Klein stated.
The change in the way general counsels are perceived and valued in businesses nationwide might see a shift from the overarching “trusted business adviser” role, towards a more specialized, situation-specific role. This shifting trend was recently examined by Law.com’s Greg Andrews in his briefing ‘Inside Track’.