GENERAL COUNSEL WORKSHOP

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | GC Workshop - Benefits, Boundaries, and Best Practices for Partnering With Your Business Units

As legal departments take on more strategic roles, GCs are expected to act as integral business partners. This session explores how GCs can be deeply involved in guiding business decisions while remaining vigilant to potential risks. Participants will explore real-life scenarios of GCs who have navigated the complexities of strategic partnerships. A facilitated discussion will focus on boundaries, benefits, and lessons learned. Discussion topics include:

• Practical approaches for balancing legal oversight with business-driven goals
• How to Identify and manage risks of close partnerships, especially in high-stakes scenarios
• Lessons from seasoned GCs on avoiding common pitfalls in strategic business alignment

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | GC Workshop - Mastering Change Management: Building a Culture of Adaptability

Change management has become essential as legal departments face rapid transformation and increasing demands. This session emphasizes practical strategies for leading change effectively within legal teams. Participants will engage in a hands-on activity where they represent one of four common personality types known to resist change. Through role-playing and group brainstorming, participants will learn how to identify and address resistance points, foster adaptability, and maintain morale.

Activities:

• Personality Mapping Activity: Participants will be grouped by different lawyer “personality types” and tasked with identifying specific challenges these personalities may present in response to change initiatives.
• Brainstorming Session: Each group will develop tailored approaches to overcome resistance for their assigned personality type.
• Interactive Debrief: Teams share insights, and a change management expert offers additional strategies to help leaders implement sustainable changes within their departments.

 
Discussion topics include:

• Understanding the four primary lawyer personality types that resist change and how to address each effectively
• Developing adaptive change management tactics that align with multi-generational workforce dynamics
• Key strategies for maintaining engagement and morale through departmental changes

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | GC Workshop - Building the Legal Team of the Future: Engaging, Equipping and Retaining Talent

The future of corporate legal teams depends on structuring departments to meet evolving organizational needs while fostering diverse, inclusive, and high-performing teams. This session explores how leaders can build adaptable, future-ready teams by embracing generational diversity and innovative management practices. Through a combination of interactive polling, group discussions, and live feedback, participants will gain insights on recruiting, retaining, and engaging talent for long-term success. Discussion topics include:

• Best practices for creating team structures that support organizational goals and foster adaptability
• Leveraging generational diversity to enhance team engagement and productivity
• Strategies for fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within legal departments