what is the gc in a lawyer group

The title "GC" is one that more clearly connects the lawyer's role to that of traditional lawyering - not at all a bad thing, of course! - but it may not suggest as strong a connection to the role of law in facilitating or adding value to the business, or as strong a connection to the role of the top lawyer in driving a well-managed and business-savvy team (both inside and outside) to solve complex company problems.

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Who is GC Services LP and what do they do?

GC Services LP is a debt collection agency, which receives a lot of consumer complaints to our law firm for debt harassment. Find out who they are, why they might be calling, and how you can stop them. Who is GC Services?

Is the GC’s compliance work protected by the attorney-client privilege?

In addition, at least some of the GC’s compliance work may be protectable under the attorney-client privilege, although the general view of government agencies is that compliance is a business matter, not a legal function.

What does a GC do at ACA?

A GC is involved in important contract negotiations and makes impactful company decisions on a regular basis. A deeper understanding of internal and external company dealings allows the GC to weigh the various business implications and make a decision that will benefit the company.

What does GC stand for?

The position of general counsel (GC) has become increasingly important as large organizations move forward into a new world of technological change and globalized capital (see “ The In-House Counsel Movement ”).

What does GC stand for law?

A general counsel, sometimes called GC, chief legal officer, or corporate counsel, is a company's main attorney and primary source of legal advice... The GC typically reports directly to the CEO, because his or her opinions are integral to business decisions.

What is a GC profession?

The General Counsel role for a company is often filled by someone who was acting as legal counsel outside of the corporation for a while. They may have been part of a law firm, or one of many lawyers the company retained. They likely worked in an area of corporate, securities, IP, or HR law.

Who does the general counsel represent?

Ultimately, the GC represents the corporation; not the CEO or management. The GC is accountable to the corporation's shareholders and other stakeholders, represented by the board of directors.

What is an assistant GC?

What Do Assistant General Counsels Do? An assistant general counsel ensures a company's compliance with relevant laws and regulations. They work closely with the business team to develop policies, practices, and guidelines concerning state, federal, and international compliance with laws and regulations.

What is the difference between legal counsel and general counsel?

In-house counsel is a generic term for lawyers who practice, well, in-house. General Counsel is typically the title given to the highest ranking in-house lawyer within a legal department, and that person is usually a c-suite executive like the COO or CFO of an organization.

Is general counsel a C-suite?

The roles of general counsel (GC), chief legal officer (CLO), and corporate counsel (CC) have been growing in importance as C-suite leadership teams become more aware of the elevated risk conditions they are working in as well as the long-term cost of those risks.

Is general counsel considered an officer?

A general counsel, chief counsel, or chief legal officer (CLO) is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a company or a governmental department.

Should general counsel attend board meetings?

It is important for anybody in a board meeting to remember his or her own role. General counsel can attend board meetings, but they should play a relatively passive role. General counsel on the board is there to observe and to flag issues if they arise.

Should general counsel be on the board?

Emerging Role of the General Counsel With the Board A company's integrity and its business reputation are critical in today's global business environment, and the GC is in an ideal position to assure that the board recognizes this and acts accordingly.

What is the difference between Associate General Counsel and Assistant general counsel?

Titles vary widely from one to company to the next. In some companies, “Associate General Counsel” is a level above “Assistant General Counsel”, and in other companies, the reverse is true. Also, one company's “Senior Corporate Counsel” can be called “Senior Counsel” at another company or “Associate Director”.

What are the members of the General Council known as?

Answer: A general counsel, chief counsel, or chief legal officer (CLO) is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a company or a governmental department.

What is ACC in legal?

ACC provides members with resources to deliver services and advice to their companies, promotes the value of in-house legal services and advocates on behalf of general counsel. For its general counsel and chief legal officer members, ACC hosts roundtables where members discuss current practice trends and issues.

What is GC100 in the UK?

In the United Kingdom a group of general counsel, called the GC100, was officially launched on 9 March 2005 and brings together the senior legal officers of more than eighty five FTSE 100 companies. The GC100 group was created in response to the increasing volume and complexity of domestic and international law and regulation which impacts on UK listed companies. The group was formed with the support of Practical Law Company which acts as its secretariat.

What is the General Counsel Forum?

The General Counsel Forum. The Forum is an association of 700 general counsel and senior managing counsel. The non-profit organization was founded in the fall of 1998 as the Dallas-Fort Worth General Counsel's Management Practices Forum (“DFWGCMPF”). The association is a partnership between in-house members and outside counsel, ...

How many members does the ACC have?

Main article: Association of Corporate Counsel. The Association of Corporate Counsel ("ACC") has 35,000 general counsel, chief legal officer and other in-house counsel members located in 90 countries. ACC was founded as the American Corporate Counsel Association in 1982 and now includes more than 55 chapters, including in Argentina, ...

When was the SVAGC formed?

The SVAGC is a successor to the Peninsula Association of General Counsel (PAGC), formed in the early 1980s.

What is the SVAGC?

The Silicon Valley Association of General Counsel (SVAGC) is a business league of chief legal officers from over 100 leading companies in the technology and life science sectors.

What is a CLO?

A general counsel, chief counsel, or chief legal officer ( CLO) is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a company or a governmental department. In a company, the person holding the position typically reports directly to the CEO, and their duties involve overseeing and identifying the legal issues in all departments ...

What does it mean to be a GC?

Sarah de Gay: In a corporate organisation, being a GC would usually signal that you are the most senior lawyer within that organisation, but in a law firm the senior and other partners clearly have that role.

Is Promoting those people a better structure?

Perrin: Promoting those people may ultimately be a better structure because someone transitioning from being a fee-earning partner to the role may have no experience in risk management, compared with somebody who has grown up in that process and who may be a much better candidate. Roberts: I agree with that.

What are the effects of increasing responsibility and scope of GCs?

One of the effects of the increasing responsibility and scope of GCs is that they are being asked to know more about more. Companies working across sectors and borders will run into different regulatory, financial, and cultural practices, and an effective GC has to provide guidance and answers to complex questions.

Who is the GC of Spotify?

Horacio Gutierrez is the recently appointed GC of Spotify and former GC of Microsoft. During his long tenure at Microsoft (nearly two decades), Gutierrez oversaw many of the company’s major patent and antitrust cases. Ed Weiss is the GC of Fenway Sports Group, a company that includes the Boston Red Sox and the Liverpool Football Club.

Why is it important for legal departments to be both diverse and inclusive?

They should also constantly impress on their team the company values and the principles of behavior everyone should uphold. This need for breadth, not just depth, of knowledge is a prime reason why it is crucial for legal departments to be both diverse and inclusive of different perspectives.

Is it true that lawyers are resistant to technological change?

This is true even for lawyers, who are often chided for being resistant to technological change. The ability to rapidly and constantly communicate over e-mail, phone, and social media has produced an expectation for quick decision making and action, even when such speed may not be in the company’s best interest.

Can a GC succeed?

Even the most astute GC will not succeed if he or she, and his or her department, are not integrated into the organization. Gone are the days in which there were strictly “legal” and “business” matters—if such a division ever existed.

Is diversity a standard practice in the legal profession?

New scholarship on diversity in the legal profession. While it has become standard practice for companies and law firms to pledge their commitment to diversity, an actual increase in the representation of women and people of color in these organizations has remained elusive.

Does the general counsel want to find himself or herself?

To be effective, the general counsel never wants to find himself or herself as the one person in eight at the table saying no. They always want to have internally ironed out a different way, a different answer, or a different path, and to have lined up usually the CFO, the corporate communications director, and certainly the CEO.

What is a GC?

The main focus of a GC is to manage a company’s legal compliance as well as corporate governance. The role of GC is also more closely aligned with a high-level lawyer which ensures the company’s legal obligations are all met. A few of a GC’s main job responsibilities are listed below.

What is a GC in corporate?

Ultimately, a GC needs to be able to fulfill business promises, manage the legal department, and provide significant company value.

What is a CLO in business?

The CLO balances the legal aspects of the company while monitoring the repercussions and risks associated with new business moves. A CLO recognizes the legal risk of new ventures but can also place this decision in the bigger context of the business.

What is the role of CLO?

The role of chief legal officer is a newer position than the general counsel and in some ways is an expansion of the general counsel role. The CLO is a C-Suite position that focuses on the legal department but is also responsible for providing valid business solutions to arising problems. Legal analysis is expected, but the CLO also keeps the company’s business model and goals in mind.

What are the duties of a general counsel?

General Counsel Job Description 1 Represent the company in court 2 Convey legal advice to company executives 3 Lead and manage the legal team 4 Communicate and oversee compliance regulations with government agencies

What is the best way to become a general counsel?

When searching for a general counsel, it would be wise to seek a candidate with cross-educational training in business or someone who has extensive on-the-job experience. A great general counsel candidate will have just the right mix of legal acumen, business insight, and strategic know-how.

What does a GC need to be?

Ultimately, a GC needs to be able to fulfill business promises, manage the legal department, and provide significant company value. When looking for a general counsel, most directors and officers are looking for someone with two main attributes: in-depth legal expertise and sound judgment.

5 Things the Best General Counsel Do Differently

The role of the general counsel (GC) has never been more important to corporate success, yet only 8% of GC are performing their ideal role as a corporate leader.

New general counsel struggle with demands

New general counsel face an overwhelming number of tasks during their first few months. When making the leap to a new position, almost half (46%) of executives across all functions tumble and underperform.

Meet legal department's demands and build a roadmap to success

With a 90% projected increase in demand for legal services in the next two years, your challenge is to juggle those demands while establishing yourself in your new role. Gartner supports you along the entire journey — from assessing the current state of the function to drafting strategic plans, developing legal competencies and much more.

How we address the top challenges of a new general counsel

Gartner’s research provides critical insights on the legal function and best practice tools and templates to help you make a fast start in your new general counsel role. Use our resources to assess the current state of the legal department, map out next steps and implement your plans with confidence.

Gartner Legal & Compliance Webinars

Conquer emerging business challenges faster and more confidently with expert guidance and best practices.

What is a general counsel?

General Counsel. The Profile: A General Counsel level lawyer in a private company will often possess prior General Counsel experience (private or public company). But sometimes s/he will be a higher-up at a high profile company like Google, LinkedIn or Amazon.

Who does the general counsel report to?

The Role: A General Counsel will report to the CEO (although in some companies, the lawyer may report to the CFO or CAO [but this type of reporting structure is diminishing in frequency]). This legal executive will manage all domestic and global legal matters for the company.

Why do executive hire VP of legal?

Executives will hire a “VP of Legal” when one or more of the following circumstances exist: They want a slightly more seasoned lawyer to build the legal function, but one who will also handle all the blocking and tackling legal work. They do not want to offer a General Counsel level compensation package.

What is VP of Legal?

The Profile: A VP of Legal will often possess a strong commercial/technology transactions background and will not have held a General Counsel title in the past. S/he may be a “number two” or more senior level lawyer in a large private or public company – or held a similar role/title in a private company. Typically, this lawyer does not possess Board or governance experience – and may or may not have management experience. The number of years of experience typically ranges between 12-15 years.

Why do executives want a legal executive?

The executives want a business-oriented legal executive to add a sophisticated perspective to senior management and the board. The Board recommends and supports it.

Do executive drivers like lawyers?

They do not like lawyers, but know it’s in the best interest of the company to add one to the organization. They have had a negative experience with a previous General Counsel and want the new lawyer to earn his/her way in to the role. This provides some background on the executive drivers for the type of hire.

Why is a CCO an executive level officer?

Moreover, the CCO must be an executive level officer in order to possess the autonomy necessary to effectively function in the role, since history teaches that some of the matters he or she will be called upon to review or enforce may involve the company’s senior management.

Can a GC be recused?

Regardless of whether the roles are separate or combined, a company should put into place procedures whereby the GC can be recused if the events at issue involve the conduct or advice of the GC, or the conduct of other senior officers with whom the GC may have longstanding or close relationships. Under those circumstances, the board, ...

Do companies have separate legal and compliance departments?

Other (usually larger) companies, many of which have a broad range of regulations under which they must comply, have separated the legal and compliance departments, in some instances appointing a non-lawyer to lead the compliance functions. In companies where these functions are separated, some have the CCO report to the general counsel, ...

Does the 1940 Act require a Chief Compliance Officer?

Aside from the 1940 Act rules and regulations, neither the Sarbanes-Oxley law or any other statute requires the establishment of a Chief Compliance Officer or even to establish a compliance and ethics program.

Is a CCO a GC?

In addition, if the CCO is not the GC, he or she should at least have the support of the GC, which may be more likely or stronger when the CCO is a member of the legal department. On the other hand, if senior management is implicated in the conduct under review, having the CCO be independent of the legal department may be preferable in instances ...

What is GC service?

GC Service s , LP or GCS is a third-party collection agency based in Texas. GCS has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken and using false or misleading information in an effort to collect a debt.

What was the complaint against GC Services?

According to a 2017 press release, the FTC’s complaint against GC Services was “filed on the FTC’s behalf by the Department of Justice and alleged that the company’s collectors left phone messages that illegally disclosed purported debts to others without their permission.”.

How much is GCS fined for FDCPA?

The BBB had posted an Alert on GC Services’ profile page warning site visitors that the Federal Trade Commission had issued a settlement agreement in which GCS is required to pay $700,000 in fines for violations of the FDCPA while attempting to collect student loan debts.

What is GCS collection?

Originally founded “as a collection agency dedicated to collecting for the oil and gas industry ,” GCS has “expanded its business lines to include not only traditional accounts receivable, but also first party/early out receivables management and a wide array of customer care and call center solutions.”.

How did GC Services violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?

The lawsuit charges that GC Services violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by engaging in harassing behavior; by refusing to identify themselves, by failing to state that they were acquiring location information, and by communicating with our client more than once without being requested to do so.

What is the FCRA?

The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).

Does GC Services report to credit bureaus?

It said, in part, “GC Services does not report any information to any credit bureaus or agencies. The responsibility for reporting this account to the credit bureaus or for updating any existing report rests exclusively with the above named client.”.

I. The Difference Between "General Counsel" and "Chief Legal Officer"

II. Tailoring Your Title to Specific Legal Duties

• Question:
  The president of the company just suggested that we amend my title from General Counsel to something more appropriate to reflect my legal duties. He suggested General Counsel/Director of Regulatory Affairs. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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III. Criteria For Senior Counsel