Effective GC succession planning should ideally begin three to five years before any anticipated GC transition. This proactive timeline allows for thorough assessment, targeted development of internal candidates, and seamless knowledge transfer. While comprehensive GC succession planning services can be developed faster, implementation timelines will vary based on your organization's starting point and objectives. We work with you to ensure the best outcomes for your unique circumstances.

Selecting your next General Counsel requires a strategic, data-driven approach that aligns with your organization's future direction. We recommend beginning with a comprehensive assessment of your organization's legal strategy, governance objectives, and evolving regulatory challenges. This creates a foundation for defining the ideal GC profile with specific competencies, experiences, and leadership attributes required. Our process then evaluates internal candidates against this profile using rigorous assessment tools, simulated business scenarios, and structured interviews to identify capability gaps. We also benchmark internal talent against external market standards to ensure you're selecting from the strongest possible candidate pool. The most effective GC succession processes consider not just technical legal skills but also strategic business partnership abilities, risk management expertise, and ethical leadership qualities that will drive your organization forward.

Confidence in your GC succession decision comes from a thorough, objective evaluation process that minimizes bias and maximizes insight into candidates' true capabilities. Our approach goes beyond traditional interviews to include psychometric evaluations, case-based simulations, and structured reference discussions. This comprehensive view allows you to evaluate candidates' legal expertise alongside their strategic thinking, leadership potential, and business alignment. Additionally, creating structured development opportunities for top internal candidates gives you real-world data on their readiness for the GC role. By combining rigorous assessment methodologies with strategic clarity about your future legal leadership needs, you can make your GC succession decision with confidence.

While internal HR teams provide valuable support, our dedicated GC succession services offer significant advantages: objective assessment of candidates, benchmarked data on GC competencies across industries, and structured development methodologies for high-potential candidates. Our collaborative approach ensures all stakeholders are engaged in the process for optimal results.

• You’ll receive guidance and support for long, mid, and shorter-term GC succession needs to mitigate the risk of your organization being harmed by unplanned GC vacancies.  

• Our expertise in leadership assessment and benchmarking will map your candidates against your future-focused strategy and goals, rather than your current state. 

• Our deep understanding of the external market will provide you with access to the best external GC candidates while we rigorously assess your internal GC talent bench.

• Your internal GC candidate(s) will feel engaged, informed, and respected throughout the process, regardless of the final selection outcome.

• Your GC succession candidates will receive the necessary transition support and ongoing development as they transition into the role.

Our approach to GC succession combines psychometric insights from top organizational psychologists, including candidates’ strengths, derailers, and values, as well as our market experts, who determine candidates’ relevant knowledge and skills, based on their expert understanding of best-in-class GC competencies. We also carry out 360-degree referencing to collect nuanced data about how candidates’ leadership styles manifest on a daily basis, and specific measurements to understand candidates’ ability to forge successful relationships with other leaders and their teams.

Our succession planning expertise extends across the full spectrum of senior legal, risk, and regulatory leadership roles. We regularly work with clients to develop comprehensive succession strategies for Chief Risk Officers, who oversee enterprise-wide risk management frameworks and ensure organizational resilience. We also support succession planning for Chief Compliance Officers, who are critical for maintaining regulatory adherence and ethical business practices across all operations. Additionally, we assist with Government & Regulatory Affairs leadership transitions, helping organizations maintain crucial relationships with regulatory bodies and navigate complex policy landscapes. These roles often work closely with the General Counsel, making integrated succession planning essential for maintaining seamless legal and compliance operations during leadership transitions.