General counsel have long been tasked with mitigating organizational risk, but more and more are being asked to become strategic business partners. This year saw general counsel stretch themselves in ways unimaginable prior to the events of 2020. The pandemic and heightened awareness for social inequities have asked general counsel to place increased attention on existing core competencies as well as add new ones. From anticipating work-from-home driven data risks to managing employee health and championing inclusion and diversity, general counsel are critical to navigating all that 2020 has had to offer.

A recent survey of general counsel from a range of industries explores these change factors. The results provide a new perspective on current trends and future directions, and also offer year-over-year comparisons to the findings of the previous study, The General Counsel Report: Corporate Legal Departments in 2020.