It's budget season, and many GCs recognize next year's legal budget may not be the same. A survey of law departments recently found about three-quarters of respondents expect budgets to remain flat or decline for 2021.

That notion has also been reflected in the conversations I've had with legal leaders around the world. Revenues have fallen and profits are being squeezed even as organizations strived to adjust during this tumultuous year.

For example, one GC who works for a global technology manufacturer told me there just hasn't been the usual level of legal work this year. On paper, it looks like the in-house legal team hasn't had the same volume of work as in prior years—so a budget reduction is justified.