COLUMN: CAREER COMPASS
How Lawyers Ascend to GC Roles: Survey Reveals Insights, Surprises, and the Gender Gap By JOHN GILMORE
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ecoming a general counsel is the pinnacle achievement of an in-house legal professional’s career. BarkerGilmore surveyed hundreds of general counsel to understand their path to the seat. The 2023 General Counsel Succession Report provides insight into the road to success. Most of the general counsel we surveyed (71%) were recruited to the
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role from outside, while the others were promoted into the position from within (29%). The study found 69% of the internal general counsel successors were made aware of their successor status in advance; however, only 42% were informed of being a designated successor more than one year before. Hiring, developing, and retaining potential successors is a top priority for most legal leaders.
JANUARY 2024
In fact, one of the most attractive justifications for a job change is the opportunity to be designated as a potential successor coinciding with the commitment and mentorship from an accomplished sitting general counsel and/or resources to hire an external coach/advisor. Without communicating and establishing a development plan for general counsel succession, leadership runs a higher risk of the most capable BACK TO CONTENTS
