1.11.2016

The New Normal – In-House Lawyers Step into the Limelight

It’s really interesting to me, as a long-time observer of the in-house legal world, to see that in-house legal teams are where so much innovation and creativity is taking place. This is now not just in regards to the delivery of law in corporates but in regards to the future of the whole legal profession as in their role as clients in house lawyers are demanding new ways of looking at services.

This is a big part of the impetus behind The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist Teams, supported in Finland by Castrén & Snellman, where we’re considering the ways in which leading legal teams in the Nordics are having a significant impact both internally and externally. This is being seen in a number of ways: transforming processes in the legal team and its interface with the business; being a significant part of major transactions; partnering in new and creative ways with legal providers.

The Rise of the New In-House Lawyer

As with everyday life, technology is everywhere and is transforming the way law is delivered, and many in-house teams are at the cutting edge of this revolution. From e-discovery to contract and signature automation as well a full scale AI, in-house teams are finding different ways to work themselves and use external providers in a much more discerning fashion than ever before.

Risk for corporates and their officers are higher in a world of ever increasing regulations. As we see the penalties for companies and c-suite executives who ignore this new world order, the role of the inside counsel has never been more important. But it’s not just about keeping executives out of jail, it’s also about setting a vision and a path.

This demands a new type of in-house lawyer, one who can be a business partner, risk arbiter and legal advisor. This importance means that general counsel are now increasingly part of the c-suite or moving that way. They are also developing teams who are thinking differently about their role and how they perform it in the modern company.

Legal Teams and the Power of ‘Why’

Teams and how the people within them are empowered are central to the modern organisation. Increasingly what is central to this is the idea of culture or purpose. If we look at two key ideas in business thinking there is the phrase, apocryphally attributed to management guru Peter Drucker, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Unless teams feel motivated, empowered and indeed have a sense of ownership, even the best strategic planning can fail. Google has stated that part of its core values to its  staff to is to empower everyone to act like a founder of the company not just an employee.

Similarly, marketing guru Simon Sinek spoke in his 2009 TED talk about the golden circle of why. This went on to become one of the most viewed TED talks of all time. In this, Sinek states that individuals or organisations work best when defined by a strong sense of why, which is central to what they do.

This is apt to the role of legal teams, as without the defining sense of ‘why’ they potentially become mere legal technicians. One leading general counsel characterised this as the significance of the legal team in contributing to and maintaining a company’s North Star, without which it would lose its way.


Catherine McGregor

The writer is Publishing Director of The Legal 500’s in-house lawyer initiatives and Editor-In-Chief of GC Magazine. She is passionately interested in the role of the client in determining the future of legal services and is a long-time advocate of diversity in the law.

Latest references

We advised SRV Group plc when it sold its 50% holding in the Pearl Plaza shopping centre in St. Peterburg to CP Invest Limited. The sale was the final part of SRV’s actions to exit from all of its operations in Russia which began in 2022. The sales price of SRV´s ownership of the shopping centre was approximately 11 million euros. SRV is a Finnish developer and innovator in the construction industry. SRV was established in 1987 and is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Case published 17.2.2025
We advised Valio Oy in its acquisition of Raisio Oyj’s plant protein business, related fixed assets and the Härkis® and Beanit® fava bean brands. The fixed assets include, among other things, the production equipment of the factory that makes plant protein products in Kauhava. The transaction supports Valio’s strategy to grow from a dairy company to a food company. This business acquisition will make us an even more significant developer and producer of plant-based protein products. The demand for these products will grow in the long term, and a great deal of growth potential still remains. In 2022, we acquired the Gold&Green® business and, since then, we have been carrying out strong product development and renewed the brand. Following successful product launches, sales in the last quarter of 2024 increased by about 50% from the previous quarter. With this acquisition, we are building our own production capacity. The production equipment of the Kauhava factory is just right for our needs and situation. says Kimmo Luoma, Valio’s Senior Vice President. Valio is a Finnish dairy and food company founded in 1905 and owned by Finnish dairy cooperatives. Valio has subsidiaries in Sweden, Estonia, the United States and China. In 2023, the Group had a turnover of EUR 2 278 million and more than 4 000 employees.
Case published 14.2.2025
We successfully represented Trety AB in a dispute and settlement negotiations concerning an agreement for development and production of communication devices for the healthcare sector. Eventually, the parties reached an amicable settlement to the full satisfaction of our client and thus the parties avoided an extensive arbitral proceeding. Trety AB is a global company that provides its customers with solutions for development, industrialization and production of electronics. Trety AB has over 30 years’ experience from IT, electronics and telecommunication industries.
Case published 11.2.2025
We advised a financier consortium including OP Corporate Bank plc, Nordea Bank Abp, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB in a leveraged financing arrangement for Vexve, a company owned by DevCo Partners Oy. The financing included EUR 143 million acquisition, refinancing and other facilities for, among other things, the financing of Vexve’s acquisition of Denmark-based Frese A/S, a leading manufacturer of dynamic balancing valves for hydronic networks. Vexve’s combined turnover after the completion of the transaction will be ca. EUR 200 million. Vexve is the leading European provider of valve solutions for the energy sector and selected energy-intensive industries.
Case published 7.2.2025