The Group Legal Policy (GLP) is the definitive statement of what the legal function exists to do for the business. It is the document that sets the operational “safe zone” for legal activity - defining the scope, priorities, and boundaries of legal involvement across the enterprise.

For the General Counsel, the GLP is not just a governance tool - it is a leadership enabler. It provides the GC with the clarity and authority needed to lead the legal function strategically, engage with stakeholders credibly, and allocate resources effectively. Without a GLP, the GC risks being pulled in every direction, with no agreed framework to push back or prioritise.

The GLP ensures that the legal department’s activities are aligned with business needs and risk appetite. It defines where legal must be involved, where it may be involved, and where it should not be involved. This clarity allows the GC to focus the team’s efforts, manage expectations, and demonstrate value.

In short, the GLP is the GC’s shield and compass. It protects the legal team from scope creep and reactive firefighting, while guiding the GC in shaping a legal function that is proactive, strategic, and business-aligned.

The scope of the GLP includes:

◼️Defining the legal department’s role across business functions

◼️Establishing legal’s involvement thresholds (mandatory, optional, excluded)

◼️Aligning legal priorities with business strategy and risk appetite

◼️Clarifying the GC’s authority to allocate resources and set priorities

◼️Providing a framework for stakeholder engagement and expectation management

◼️Supporting legal operations and performance measurement

◼️Enabling legal tech adoption aligned with policy-defined priorities

◼️Serving as a reference point for legal team onboarding and training

In GLS legal ops speak – the Group Legal Policy is considered a “Foundational” resource within the process ecosystem of an in-house legal team.

The Foundational Resource is a CRE that is responsible for determining the overall performance capabilities of a “critical” legal function. If it is not optimised, the function can never be optimised. 

The best practice features of the GLP are as follows:

◼️Board-approved document that defines legal’s strategic role

◼️Clear articulation of legal’s scope of involvement across the business

◼️Alignment with business objectives and risk management frameworks

◼️Defined thresholds for legal engagement (must, may, not required)

◼️Integration with legal operations and performance dashboards

◼️Communication plan to ensure business-wide understanding of legal’s role

◼️Regular review and update cycles to reflect evolving business needs

◼️Embedded KPIs to measure legal’s contribution and policy compliance

The Group Legal Policy delivers the following value to the Business:

◼️Ensures legal resources are focused on business-critical priorities

◼️Reduces delays by clarifying when legal must be involved

◼️Improves stakeholder satisfaction through predictable legal engagement

◼️Enhances risk management by aligning legal involvement with risk appetite

◼️Supports cost-effective legal service delivery through strategic focus

◼️Enables faster deal-making by removing ambiguity around legal’s role

The GLP strengthens the legal team ecosystem by:

◼️Providing clarity on team objectives and engagement thresholds

◼️Empowering the GC to lead with authority and strategic focus

◼️Reducing internal friction and reactive workload

◼️Supporting performance management and accountability

◼️Enhancing morale by aligning legal work with strategic impact

◼️Creating a platform for continuous improvement and innovation

The Group Legal Policy is essential for:

◼️Legal departments seeking strategic alignment with the business

◼️General Counsel aiming to lead with clarity and authority

◼️Legal teams undergoing transformation or restructuring

◼️Organisations investing in legal operations and performance metrics

◼️Businesses requiring agile, empowered legal support

A legal team operating without a Group Legal Policy will face a wide range of inefficiencies including:

◼️Unclear expectations around legal’s role and priorities

◼️Reduced authority for the GC in cross-functional discussions

◼️Misaligned resource allocation and service delivery

◼️Increased legal risk due to inconsistent involvement

◼️Poor stakeholder engagement and diminished influence

◼️Low morale and unclear career pathways within the legal team

The GLP is a technology-leveraged station. While not tech-based itself, it enables:

◼️Strategic adoption of legal tech aligned with policy-defined priorities

◼️Integration of performance dashboards and analytics tools

◼️Use of workflow automation to support policy compliance

◼️Enhanced reporting capabilities for legal involvement and impact