Strong managerial abilities are necessary for a quality GC. To confirm that a company's legal department gets staffed, funded, and organised to meet the company's goals, executive leadership skills are essential. A legal fractional general counsel employs the following abilities to carry out their responsibilities successfully:

A fractional general counsel: what is it?

All businesses, especially those aiming to expand, must deal with legal difficulties. Without paying for a full-time general counsel, firms—often startups or small businesses—can collaborate with highly skilled former in-house attorneys through fractional general counsel.

It is a part of the shift to a more adaptable workplace. Using fractional services is similar to employing a part-time worker against engaging outside legal advice. Experts might offer counsel based on a retainer or other contractual arrangement. It implies that a general counsel with a part-time job might have many employers at once.

Negotiation

A corporate counsel usually uses negotiation and persuasion techniques for mutually agreeable resolution while resolving a lawsuit with third parties. These abilities are also necessary for them to settle disputes inside the company about legal tactics and resolutions.

Interpersonal and communication abilities

General counsel must possess a high level of emotional intelligence, which includes traits and skills including empathy, self-awareness, self-management, and the ability to "read the room." Their ability to interact with people well will help them gain the respect and credibility of other executives, the board, and other company divisions. It's critical to establish the impression of cooperation. To create value for management and other internal clients entails fostering a customer service-oriented culture inside the legal department.

Additionally, communication skills are essential. Interdepartmental and inter-organizational time savings and reduced misunderstandings result from requests, and information gets communicated succinctly and clearly.

Organisational skills

A general or corporate counsel's usual day consists of many meetings, office or courthouse trips, research, and paperwork. It takes strong organisational and time management abilities to plan these events.

Soft skills or legal counsel on staff

The qualities of a general counsel that are neither legal nor technical are called "soft skills." The fractional general counsel can communicate successfully with other lawyers and business leaders because of their personality features and emotional intelligence. They build stronger bonds with others, accomplish their goals more successfully, and increase departmental efficiency by developing their soft skills.

Hazard Assessment

The process of identifying, assessing, and controlling risks to an organisation's assets and earnings is known as risk management. Regulatory liability, events, natural hazards, financial instability, and poor strategic management are a few of the problems or threats that might occur. For firms that are digitally native, data-related risks and weaknesses in IT security, as well as risk management strategies to address them, have become critical considerations.

Dedicated to Ethics

A general counsel must be devoted to performing honourably and possess high ethical standards. They stand for the integrity and reputation of the company, and their actions can affect how the community views the company. The general counsel is in charge of confirming the business complies with legal requirements and doesn't break any regulations. An effective general counsel has to be a knowledgeable legal professional with a strong sense of business, communication skills, leadership qualities, and a dedication to morality and honesty.

Requirements for General Counsel

Employers usually look for the following qualifications for this position:

Academic requirements

Many employers anticipate that applicants for this position will hold a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and a current Certificate of Practice (COP) from the Bar Council of India. For this position, large businesses need a master's degree.

Instruction

General Counsel receives the requisite training through a variety of legal practice jobs. After graduating from law school, freshly recruited attorneys typically begin as associates, collaborating in teams with more seasoned attorneys. They could go on to work for themselves, for other firms, or as general counsel for businesses, banks, or government organisations.

They might even become partners in the company, making them half-owners. Certain employers may provide an advantage to candidates who specialise in business law. It usually takes at least five years of legal experience for an attorney to progress to the post of general counsel.

Industry knowledge

Businesses usually look for solicitors with specific experience in their fields of practice and industry. Acquiring comprehensive knowledge about labour rules, workplace safety, taxes, regulations, and compliance with the industry might facilitate your access to suitable career prospects.

Accreditations

Attorneys must get accepted to a state bar to be licensed. Although there isn't a nationwide test, most jurisdictions employ the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) to evaluate solicitors' abilities. Several states allow the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE). State-specific board certifications are also available.

Generally speaking, attorneys must be in good standing with their state bar association and have at least five years of experience. For an aspirant general counsel, certificates in tax law, workers' compensation, corporate litigation, and international law are among the best specialisations.