While there is a body of writing on how to run an in-house legal team, much of it is dominated by US authors. Aiming to fill the void, Bjarne Tellmann, the outspoken general counsel (GC) of FTSE 100 publishing empire Pearson, has just published Building an Outstanding Legal Team. Tellmann discusses the book with Tom Baker.
Angry shareholders, rising demands for transparency, tougher regulation, declining trust in business and the need to access new markets. Just some of the reasons why a growing number of plcs are moving to improve their focus on long-term performance and ethical standards… and calling in their general counsel (GCs) to help. Continue reading “GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands”
Channel 4 has appointed Wiggin media litigator Amali de Silva as its new legal and compliance head, following the departure of long-serving general counsel (GC) Prash Naik. Continue reading “Channel 4 appoints Wiggin media litigator de Silva legal chief following GC Naik’s exit”
Within a month of Mark Cooper joining National Grid (NG)’s in-house team in 2015, things became very busy very quickly. UK general counsel (GC) Rachael Davidson told him that one of the businesses he was looking after – NG’s gas distribution network – was going to be sold off.
In his 1962 work Capitalism and Freedom, the economist Milton Friedman complained that ‘the view has been gaining widespread acceptance that corporate officials and labour leaders have a “social responsibility” that goes beyond serving the interest of their stockholders.’ This ‘fundamental misconception’ about how markets work, argued Friedman, ought to be replaced by the consensus that the only social responsibility of business was to increase profits ‘so long as it stays within the rules of the game’.
Continue reading “Dollars and sense – charting the GC response as sustainability hits the boardroom”
As Deutsche Bank baulks at paying for junior lawyers, is a tough line on ‘paying for training’ making its way across the Atlantic?
Even for City lawyers used to increasingly heavy-handed tactics in panel reviews from banking groups, it proved something of a shock. News earlier this year that Deutsche Bank had notified pitching firms of its unwillingness to pay for trainees and newly-qualified lawyers during its last adviser review sent a jolt through the UK legal market.
Continue reading “Whose dime? – GCs push back against paying for junior lawyers”
Angry shareholders, rising demands for transparency, tougher regulation, declining trust in business and the need to access new markets. Just some of the reasons why a growing number of plcs are moving to improve their focus on long-term performance and ethical standards… and calling in their general counsel (GCs) to help.
As part of an Insight report on sustainability, Legal Business gathered responses from more than 250 senior in-house counsel to gauge the extent that such initiatives are impacting on the day jobs of plc law chiefs.
Continue reading “GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands”
While there is a body of writing on how to run an in-house legal team, much of it is dominated by US authors. Aiming to fill the void, Bjarne Tellmann, the outspoken general counsel (GC) of FTSE 100 publishing empire Pearson, has just published Building an Outstanding Legal Team. Tellmann discusses the book with Tom Baker.
LB: What’s the general theme of your book?
Uber’s European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) general counsel Jim Callaghan will step down from his role in June this year. Continue reading “In-house: Uber searches for new EMEA GC as Callaghan to step down”
Marcus Lee, previously general counsel (GC) of Channel 5, has been promoted to GC for UK, northern and eastern Europe for Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), also part of the media conglomerate Viacom.
Continue reading “In-house: Channel 5 GC takes role at Viacom following internal restructure”
