In 2008, the UK had approximately 130,000 lawyers according to an article in Law Bus. Rev., Winter 2009 at 54. By some estimates, the same year the US had somewhat more than a million practicing lawyers. Other estimates suggest that the US has roughly one lawyer in a legal department…
The General Counsel Survey 2009 from the Belgium-based consultants, FrahanBlondé, astutely discusses the issues that are top priority for general counsel (at page 12). Of the 10 issues, the third highest priority (after client relations and efficiency) is to “manage organisational complexity.” What that curious phrase means is that “as…
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…
A wonderful picture of many of the lawyers in the legal department of United Technologies says above it: “248 lawyers – 21 countries.” That photo, in a presentation by Associate General Counsel Chester Paul Beach at a conference in early December, adds nuance to a previous source that said UTC…
Int’l In-House Counsel J., Vol 2, Summer 2009 at 1299, comments broadly on the advisability in larger legal departments to divide into regions and appoint a top lawyer for each. “It is likely advisable to do so if the business is operating in more than 10 countries.” That is one…
Sabine Chalmers mentions in her recent column the “some 200 individuals worldwide” in her legal department at Anheuser-Busch InBev. She emphazes “retaining and building local talent” as well as “the even distribution of in-house lawyers throughout the company’s markets – as opposed to a large US or European-based legal team…
Given the legal tar pits engulfing BofA, you might think that its general counsel would be and has been the right-hand of the CEO. Wrong on both. Edward O’Keefe, the new general counsel for the bank’s 525 lawyers, reports only to the bank’s chief administrative officer. A sidebar in Corp.…
Corp. Counsel, Vol. 16, Nov. 2009 at 15, says that Peter Solmssen, Siemen’s general counsel has also been acting CEO of its U.S. division since September. I find that dual role troubling. Practically speaking, how can someone do a decent job in the face of such massive responsibilities? Legally speaking,…
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) has, according to an article in the Practical Law J., Vol. 1, Nov. 2009 at 71, “over 400 global contracting staff.” Its legal group has around 100 lawyers, which means around 200 total legal staff if normal benchmarks hold. Thus, the contracting arm of CSC outnumbers…
Several posts point out the vulnerability of general counsel when the CEO leaves (See my post of May 14, 2005: GC vulnerable when CEO is removed; June 20, 2007: most risk to GC when new CEO comes from outside company; and Nov. 7, 2007: GC depends on fortunes of CEO.).…