A shift is taking place within the legal industry as approximately two-thirds of companies are now recruiting general counsel from outside of their own organizations. This marks a significant increase and departure from past practice, whereby recruitment often depended on the progression of internal candidates. This change is attributable largely to the evolving role of general counsel, which now necessitates a wider breadth of skills and experience.
Contrary to perceptions, this trend is not due to a lack of capable legal talent within companies’ existing legal departments. Instead, it reflects the changing requirements and increased complexity of the general counsel role. This situation is rendering the leap from deputy to general counsel a formidable—and increasingly insurmountable—gap for internal candidates to traverse,
according to a report by Russell Reynolds Associates.
It’s clear that the landscapes of recruitment and hiring within the legal industry are being reshaped by the expanding role of general counsel. This development could have far-reaching implications for succession strategies and career development within corporate legal departments. This is also a development worth monitoring closely by all legal professionals, particularly those eyeing leadership positions.