HSBC, the global financial powerhouse, has a huge legal department. To manage the 700-plus lawyers in 54 countries, the general counsel (Richard Bennett) set up a “legal executive committee” in 2007. The European Lawyer, Issue 89, Sept. 2009 at 12, refers to this group of senior lawyers who help govern the department. Running such a large and scattered group requires extra effort.
It turns out that this blog has often drawn on HSBC for ideas (See my post of March 17, 2006: decentralized team weakens cost-center complaints — some 650 lawyers worldwide in 41 countries; March 17, 2007: client alignment; April 13, 2008: pilot program with Malaysian branch legal support; July 27, 2008 #3: 50 secondees; April 2, 2009: HSBC’s Japan general counsel and various points; May 10, 2009: a knowledge-sharing venture; and Sept. 21, 2009: offshoring to Malaysia of branch legal support — with 850 lawyers and 1350 legal staff.). I notice that not all the staff metrics seem consistent.