Through my line of work, I've had a front row seat to the seismic evolution of the general counsel role in recent years. Today's GC isn't just a legal advisor and company watchdog. Rather, they're a critical member of the executive team, playing a pivotal role in managing risk and shaping financial and business strategies. This increasing importance of, and demand for, the GC role can be attributed to numerous and wide-ranging factors, such as post-pandemic retirements, increasing and new regulatory requirements, economic uncertainties, global growth, and greater importance in signaling company values/morals.

This ever-expanding role has left executive teams questioning how to appropriately position their General Counsel within the organization. My reply is always the same: How much do you value your General Counsel and how do you show them that value? If they're meant to be a bona fide strategic player—and you want a GC who will be a significant asset to your leadership team and organization, this question is critical. If you truly value your GC, here are the top factors you need to consider in order to demonstrate that value: