A decade ago, Harvard Business Review published a report on new paths to the C-suite. Editors highlighted how top General Counsels (GCs) were rushing up the corporate ladder – challenging the idea that legal officers couldn’t lead at the top.

One quote was particularly striking: “Sophisticated corporations look to a general counsel to be a facilitator, someone who can play different roles—crisis manager, mergers expert, catalyst.”

Eyes are opening inside enterprises and GCs can now be seen as true business partners. But embracing this is difficult for many legal leaders. Often because GCs struggle to position themselves as strategic, cross-functional problem solvers.

In this eBook, we share principles to build (or reshape) your brand as a GC. A strong brand brings more influence, compensation, and respect. It also opens a seat at the executive table – transforming career paths.

#1: Shift away from being the office of “no.”

GCs must reorient their mindsets to include a business perspective. Bloomberg Law suggests GCs use “no” sparingly – and offer alternatives instead. Adopting this reinforces the role of GCs in solving complex business problems.

This is must-do work to change misconceptions and dissolve stereotypes.On a recent Cockpit Counsel webinar episode, Danielle Sheer, Chief Legal Officer (CLO) at Commvault, suggests that Legal is a company’s “central nervous system.” She reminds listeners that “all the data, insights, and perspective that come across a GC’s desk make them an ideal innovator.”

The challenge to saying yes, is balancing both the business opportunity and the legal concern. Remember, your goal is to make the company successful – not just mitigate risk. This starts with mindset: “You need to make your decision right out of the gate,” LinkSquares’ CLO, Tim Parilla, says. “Are you a businessperson with a legal background or are you a lawyer who’s trying to play business games?”

No is often the easy way out. A truly commercial lawyer works through a crisis and embraces the consequences of risk-taking. “Unless a business is fundamentally flawed, you can manage and overcome a crisis,” Parilla guides.

#2: Take more risks.

Lawyers who focus only on risk-avoidance lose the trust of their executive teams. This is the quickest way to have Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other executives only view you as a supplier of legal information.

In a recent article, Parilla shares how misplaced hesitancy hurts the GC brand: “It is impossible to avoid risk 100% of the time and run a successful business,” he guides.

For most decisions, there is a long way between risk-taking and a worst-case scenario. Help manage toward better business outcomes and you’ll see your brand elevated at the highest levels.

Not all risk-taking is created equal, however.

Don’t overcompensate and become the “yes” person. Strike a balance – offer legitimate counsel without curbing business growth. Understand objectives and project details. Get clarity on the “why” behind a law. You’ll better understand risk/reward trade-offs and generate ideas on how to improve execution.

#3: Prioritize internal relationships.

The best lawyers aren’t bottlenecks, they’re business enablers. And they achieve this by seeing the entire company landscape.

Leadership consultancy Spencer Stuart suggests that GCs build associations, trust, and respect with a variety of colleagues, the CEO, and even the board of directors. To develop these relationships, they cite a key practice: understanding an individual’s goals, objectives, values, and interests. When you understand these, it is easier to pitch an idea, sound an alarm, or offer advice on a risky contract.

Emma McFerran, SVP of legal at Lyst agrees that GCs must become business partners: “The value in my relationship with our CEO is that I can be a sounding board on a whole range of business issues and opportunities, whether legal or otherwise.”

When GCs dig in alongside colleagues, Sheer suggests that they are actually “teaching the company how to get value out of the legal team.” This prompts respect and better engagement.

#4: Start a mini-revolution.

GCs should be at the forefront of applying innovative technology to solve manual, costly, or inefficient business processes. This is an important way to prove value (and commitment to business objectives) beyond just delivering legal advice.

From billing and contracting to streamlining compliance, maturing past a paper-first environment positions Legal as not simply a cost-center, but a value creator with a measurable, quantifiable impact.

Learn about specific operational, performance, or risk management goals. Does your business have cost-cutting or headcount optimization targets? Show that you too can drive objectives.

#5: Get more involved (in everything).

“If you’re waiting for someone to spot a legal issue and bring it to you, then you become the General Counsel of contracts. Instead, show that you’re a business person with a legal background,” guides Sheer.

Most GCs have managed through complex situations. They’ve honed communication, problem-solving, and logical thinking skills. According to one industry insider, they are uniquely suited to “deconstruct complex problems and find a solution.”

Yes, this level of contribution requires cross-functional relationships. But it demands more than the occasional happy hour.

As Parilla reminds, “The legal team should have relationships with every single department in the organization.” Learn what is going on in Marketing, Engineering, Sales, and HR. Understand progress and pain points on key projects or campaigns. Few other internal functions are poised for as relevant interactions as the legal team.

“GCs are positioned to connect dots that will surprise other parts of the organization. Put people, ideas, and solutions together,” shares Parilla.

Questions to ask yourself:

Building a brand won’t happen by accident. As you consider your contributions and image, ask yourself the following:

• How has your GC brand developed over time?
• If it hasn’t meaningfully changed, why not?
• What areas do you need to improve / evolve to keep up with your business?
• Do you know executive expectations for your role?
• What can you do in the short / medium / long term to enhance the legal brand internally?

As Modern Counsel shares, the decision to be a business person first is what separates truly great lawyers. Recognizing risk is table stakes. Managing it lets you keep your job. But owning it is what makes you standout.

LinkSquares powers the performance of GCs at high-growth companies. If you’re ready to write better agreements, close deals faster, and understand every contract – while saving time and money – then contact LinkSquares today.