What skills will future GCs need to survive – and thrive?

The in-house legal world is transforming.

As AI, automation, and shifting business priorities reshape the legal landscape, the expectations placed on General Counsel are rising fast. But what does the modern GC need to succeed? What skills will define successful legal leadership in the next decade? And how can legal teams prepare for what's next?

Our latest report answers exactly that. Built on insights from more than 180 legal professionals and interviews with senior GCs and in-house experts, the GC Skills for the Future report explores how the role of General Counsel is evolving, and what it will take to thrive in a tech-driven, fast-moving world.

What is included in the report?

• Insights from 180+ legal professionals across the UK.
• What do today’s in-house teams see as the key skills for tomorrow?
• GC leadership in a tech-driven era.
• Why 56% identified tech and AI literacy as the most critical future skill.
• Strategic thinking, financial fluency & people-first leadership.
• The skillset shift redefining what it means to lead a legal function.
• Training the next generation.
• How GCs can manage and develop junior talent in an AI-augmented world.
• AI adoption and ethical responsibility.
• Balancing innovation, risk, and regulatory oversight.