The General Counsel Community station represents the strategic imperative for GCs to engage beyond their internal legal teams. It’s about tapping into the collective intelligence of the wider legal ecosystem - GC networks, professional associations, and in-house counsel forums - to stay informed, benchmark performance, and share insights.

A GC who actively participates in these communities gains access to real-time knowledge transfer, emerging risk alerts, and diverse approaches to common legal challenges. This connectivity fosters continuous learning and helps GCs remain commercially attuned and operationally agile.

In a world where legal complexity is rising and regulatory change is constant, the GC community becomes a vital source of strategic foresight. It enables GCs to lead with confidence, make better decisions, and deliver legal support that aligns with business priorities.

Ultimately, this station transforms the GC from a siloed legal advisor into a dynamic, well-informed business enabler - one who is plugged into the pulse of the legal profession.

The scope of the General Counsel Community station includes:

◼️Participation in GC networks and peer forums

◼️Engagement with professional legal associations

◼️Benchmarking legal department performance

◼️Sharing insights on emerging legal risks and trends

◼️Accessing thought leadership and best practices

◼️Building strategic relationships across industries

◼️Learning from diverse legal operating models

◼️Enhancing leadership presence within the legal profession

In GLS legal ops, the GC Community is considered a "Repeater" resource within legal operations.

A Repeater Resource: Supports multiple legal functions, ensuring that structured legal requests improve contracting, dispute resolution, compliance, and advisory services.

A well-structured GC Community enhances legal team productivity, reduces wasted time, and improves service delivery across the organization.

The best practice features of the General Counsel Community are as follows:

◼️Active membership in multiple GC networks and forums

◼️Regular participation in peer benchmarking initiatives

◼️Contribution to thought leadership and legal publications

◼️Attendance at strategic legal conferences and roundtables

◼️Engagement with cross-industry legal leaders

◼️Use of community insights to inform internal legal strategy

◼️Building a personal brand within the legal profession

◼️Leveraging community feedback to improve legal operations

The General Counsel Community delivers the following value to the Business:

◼️Faster identification of emerging legal risks

◼️Improved strategic decision-making through peer insights

◼️Enhanced legal support aligned with market trends

◼️Reduced exposure to regulatory surprises

◼️Accelerated legal transformation through shared learnings

◼️Stronger leadership presence in external business forums

This station strengthens the legal department by:

◼️Enabling continuous professional development

◼️Providing access to benchmarking data and KPIs

◼️Offering exposure to alternative legal operating models

◼️Supporting innovation through shared best practices

◼️Enhancing team morale via external recognition and validation

◼️Building a culture of openness and collaboration

The General Counsel Community is essential for:

◼️General Counsel

◼️Heads of Legal

◼️Legal Operations Leaders

◼️Senior In-House Counsel

◼️Legal Transformation Leads

A legal team operating without a General Counsel Community will face a wide range of inefficiencies including:

◼️Limited visibility into emerging legal risks

◼️Missed opportunities for strategic collaboration

◼️Slower adoption of legal innovation

◼️Poor benchmarking against industry standards

◼️Reduced influence in shaping legal policy and regulation

◼️Isolation from broader legal trends and developments

While not a technology-first station, the General Counsel Community increasingly leverages tech platforms to connect, share, and collaborate. Virtual GC forums, legal knowledge hubs, and benchmarking tools are essential enablers. Integration with legal CRM systems can also help track and manage external engagements.