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Enterprise GC 2027

Programme preview

The future-facing GC: Leading through AI, uncertainty and transformation

The role of the General Counsel is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Geopolitical instability, fragmented regulation, rapid advances in artificial intelligence and heightened corporate accountability are reshaping the decisions legal leaders face – and the influence they are expected to have.

 

Today's General Counsel must do more than manage legal risk. They are expected to anticipate disruption, guide strategic decisions, enable growth and provide clear judgement in an increasingly uncertain environment.

 

Enterprise GC 2027 will bring together senior General Counsel from leading UK and global organisations to explore what effective legal leadership looks like today – and what it will demand tomorrow.

 

Moving beyond theoretical debate, the programme will focus on the real decisions, commercial pressures and leadership challenges facing in-house legal teams, combining candid peer discussion with practical insights and actionable ideas.

Day One

The modern GC in a changing world

Navigating uncertainty, redefining influence and confronting the impact of AI.

 

Day One will explore how General Counsel can provide strategic clarity when the political, regulatory and commercial landscape is constantly shifting.

 

From evolving UK–EU relations and US trade policy to tariffs, sanctions and the UK's AI ambitions, discussions will examine how legal leaders can help their organisations navigate geopolitical disruption while identifying new opportunities.

 

The programme will also challenge the expanding remit of the modern GC. Where should legal leadership begin and end? Which responsibilities should GCs embrace, and how can they establish boundaries while maintaining influence at board level?

 

AI will be a central focus, with an emphasis on what actually works in practice. General Counsel will examine platforms such as Copilot, Gemini, Claude, Harvey and Legora, exploring their impact on legal workflows, accuracy, costs, adoption and the limits of automation.

 

The changing relationship between in-house teams and external law firms will also come under scrutiny. Are AI-enabled firms delivering genuine efficiencies? How should pricing models evolve, and could AI-native firms disrupt the traditional legal services market?

 

The day will also examine how GCs respond when risk becomes reality, exploring crisis leadership, reputational exposure and the growing enterprise-wide threat of class actions and collective litigation.

Day Two

From risk manager to enterprise leader

Building high-performing legal functions, enabling growth and extending the GC's influence.

 

Day Two will focus on how General Counsel can move beyond protecting the business to actively shaping its future.

 

The programme will explore the different leadership expectations facing GCs across listed companies, privately owned businesses and multinational organisations, particularly during ownership changes, international expansion and business transformation.

 

The future of the legal team will be another central theme. How can GCs retain exceptional talent, develop future leaders and build effective succession plans when AI is fundamentally changing the skills required of in-house lawyers?

 

Discussions will also examine how legal functions can become genuine drivers of commercial value – enabling new business models, supporting market entry and helping organisations innovate and grow.

 

Corporate accountability and regulatory scrutiny will remain firmly on the agenda, exploring how legal leaders can embed effective compliance, demonstrate strong governance and respond to misconduct or enforcement action.

 

A confidential, Chatham House Rule discussion will provide space for candid peer conversations on board relationships, challenging leadership decisions, team performance and external advisers.

 

The programme will also look beyond the traditional GC career path, exploring what it takes to make the transition from General Counsel to CEO.

From insight to action: Practical workshops and peer exchange

Alongside the main-stage programme, smaller workshops and interactive discussions will provide opportunities to explore key challenges in greater depth.

 

Potential themes include:

  • AI and the future legal function: AI agents, legal workflows, platform evaluation and the legal department of 2030.
  • Litigation and emerging risk: Collective actions, enforcement, privilege and accountability.
  • Crisis leadership: Cyber incidents, reputational threats and decision-making under pressure.
  • Legal operations and investment: External counsel management, technology adoption and the evolving GC–CFO relationship.
  • Cross-border complexity: Conflicting regulation, international exposure and geopolitical uncertainty.
  • Future legal leadership: Talent, succession, operating models and the skills required of tomorrow's legal teams.

Interactive formats under consideration include side-by-side testing of leading AI platforms, live crisis simulations and practical examinations of how generative AI could transform collective litigation.

 

A programme shaped by General Counsel, for General Counsel

Enterprise GC 2027 will combine strategic perspectives, practical experience and candid peer exchange to address the issues that matter most to senior in-house legal leaders.

 

The programme will continue to evolve through engagement with the Enterprise GC Steering Committee and senior industry experts, ensuring discussions remain relevant, challenging and grounded in the realities of modern legal leadership.

 

Please note: This is an indicative programme overview. Topics, session formats and speakers remain subject to change as the agenda develops.

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