The responses illustrate law departments’ ability to transition to work from home and carry out their day-to-day functions in order to help their organizations adjust
WASHINGTON (April 2, 2020) —The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and governments worldwide. To gauge how legal departments are dealing with this challenging situation, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) fielded a member flash poll on topics ranging from work from home to supply chain.
The responses illustrate law departments’ ability to transition to work from home and carry out their day-to-day functions in order to help their organizations adjust to this new business environment.
“In-house lawyers possess the necessary skill set and knowledge to best guide companies through volatile business landscapes and unpredictable times,” said Veta T. Richardson, ACC president and CEO. “It’s not surprising that under their leadership, law departments continue to carry out their functions while helping organizations adapt to this new normal.
“It bears repeating: a seat at the executive table for the GC or CLO is no longer optional. ACC stands with the in-house and broader legal community around the world and will do everything possible to keep the in-house profession informed and connected.”
The poll found that over 68 percent of respondents felt that their department was “very well prepared” to transition to work from home schedules. Just under 27 percent reported that their department was “somewhat prepared.”
In addition, when it comes to labor and employment (L&E) issues, just over 54 percent reported that while work volume had risen due to Covid-19, they had no plans to change policies or procedures. Just over 31 percent reported no change in procedures or in work volume, and about 15 percent reported that they were either outsourcing more work or looking into other external services.
This poll opened on March 25 and closed on March 29, with 277 randomly selected ACC members giving answers. It is the first in a planned series of informal polls designed to elicit informal feedback from in-house counsel on a variety of topics. The full results are available on the ACC website.
About ACC: The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. With more than 45,000 members in 85 countries employed by over 10,000 organisations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel.® For more information, visit www.acc.com and follow ACC on Twitter: @ACCinhouse.