In mid-December, I invited three geopolitics experts to share their insights and advice with General Counsel to prepare for what’s ahead from Washington, D.C. in early 2025. The panel included: Carolyn Amadon, Lawyer, Global Trade professor, trade law counselor for over 20 years, Rob Beard, Chief Legal and Global Affairs Officer at Coherent (previously in same role at MasterCard), and Sean West, Co-Founder of Hence Technology; author of Unruly: Fighting Back when Politics, AI and Law Upend the Rules of Business.

For Part 1 of this article, the panelists’ comments are organized into three key themes. Part 2 will be a summary of how to prepare. Consider their advice.