Resource Library

How to make a strong positive impact when starting a new job as general counsel? Find practical tips and strategies shared by experienced in-house counsel and condensed by ACC in this toolkit. Nine checklists that distill insight from general counsel, from acing your first 90 days to developing your leadership and business skills and retaining talent on your team.

There has been significant growth in the number of in-house lawyers in Australia over the past decade, with the in-house profession now representing the fastest growing segment of the Australian legal sector. The ACC Australia Graduate Profile Handbook traces the legal careers of several young ACC Australia members, details how they arrived at their first in-house counsel role, and offers key lessons learnt in these roles. Based on excerpts from the handbook, this article outlines tips and lessons from these graduates’ in-house journey.

Boards increasingly recognize the value proposition of corporate directors who come from an in-house counsel background. The role of the general counsel (GC) today extends well beyond legal and requires an array of skills — notably business acumen and leadership. This Quick Overview discusses optimization of Board performance.

The advent of new technology, staffing models, and legal operations strategy is driving profound change and disruption in the way in-house teams are delivering legal services for their organisations. Just as the global in-house sector is rapidly evolving, the Japanese in-house sector too is experiencing immense change.

In this Quick Overview, learn more about how Japanese Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) and their companies are dealing with these changes.

The honorees for the 2019 Top 10 30-Somethings exemplify the best traits of ACC membership. They are all pioneers in their own unique ways – going above and beyond in their organization, assisting others in the in-house industry, and devoting themselves to their own individual communities.

From hiring increases to job happiness, discover what career issues are top-of-mind for in-house counsel.

With the advent of global privacy frameworks, and as companies collect and use more consumer data, additional importance is placed on review and compliance. The chief privacy officer is essential to addressing these priorities.

Fools rush in when conducting business in Japan. Rather than race through a deal, most Japanese employers value group consensus decision-making — and the same is true for creating contracts and finalizing negotiations with outside parties. After learning the basics of Japanese business etiquette, in-house counsel will discover why patience truly is a virtue.

This paper highlights the value and importance of a direct reporting structure between the General Counsel (GC)/Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), as well as direct access by the CLO to the Board of Directors (BOD). When a CLO can directly influence and shape corporate strategy and culture they are reflecting and reinforcing the values of their organisation. 

Based on responses from 1,800 in-house counsel in 53 countries, the 2017 ACC In-house Trends Report covers trending topics such as the inside-outside counsel relationship, career mobility, professional development, department resource allocation, cybersecurity, professional privilege, and more.