‘Limitless’ general counsel

Ben Cockram at Major, Lindsey & Africa describes the expanding mandate for in-house lawyers

 

In the film Limitless, a single pill unlocks a person’s full potential. In 2025, many CEOs seem to expect their General Counsel (GC) to have taken that pill.

 

As an executive search professional who speaks with hundreds of GCs each year, I’ve witnessed the almost superhuman expectations placed on today’s legal leaders. From the outside looking in, the modern GC role appears boundless – a corporate multitasker juggling legal strategy, risk management, ethics, and business counsel all at once. The GC has become the Swiss Army knife of the C-suite: legal expert, strategic advisor, compliance guru, crisis manager, and conscience of the company rolled into one.

 

This piece explores the GC’s expanding mandate, the talent and leadership trends reshaping the role, and how these “limitless” executives are coping (or not) with the pressure.

 

Gone are the days when a GC could focus only on “lawyerly” tasks. In my recruiting conversations, GCs consistently describe their role as a corporate polymath – expected to master not just law, but business strategy, compliance, ESG, cybersecurity, public policy, and more. One week a GC might be advising the board on a bet-the-company litigation; the next, they’re shaping an environmental sustainability initiative or steering a diversity and inclusion program.

 

In fact, the moniker that we see a lot in the US - Chief Legal Officer (CLO) – perhaps better reflects these expansive duties. Today’s legal chiefs don’t just support the business; they help drive strategy and innovation alongside the CEO and CFO. As one CLO told me, “I’m expected to be lawyer, business partner, and mini-CEO, all at once.” The role has truly become limitless in scope – and that comes with both opportunity and burden.

 

In 2025, a year that we’re barely in and has already thrown up all manner of ‘not-on-my-bingo-card’ surprises, a clear picture emerged; the job has never been tougher. GCs in 2025 face a confluence of pressures that would test anyone’s limits. Key challenges include: financial pressures, skills shortages and burnout.

 

 

Financial pressure vs. rising workloads

Nearly all legal departments have been asked to cut costs recently. There are many public examples of these rollbacks amongst large, listed companies in the FTSE 100 and Fortune 500. Yet paradoxically, 99% of GCs I speak with report surging legal work volume and complexity. 

 

In other words, GCs must do more with less, finding creative efficiency without sacrificing risk management. One GC joked, “The board wants 24/7 counsel on a 9-to-5 budget.” I hear about this dynamic often: companies demand leaner legal teams even as global regulations multiply.

 

 

War for talent and retention woes

It has never been harder to attract and retain top legal talent. On one hand, elite law firms have driven first-year associate salaries above $200,000 (a 21% jump since 2021, with many now paying even more than that). In-house departments struggle to compete with those pay scales and the prestige of Big Law. 

 

On the other hand, corporate legal teams are stretched thin. This talent crunch means GCs are spending as much time recruiting, training, and firefighting turnover as they are giving legal advice. The “talent war” is real.

 

 

Mental well-being and burnout

Perhaps the most alarming trend I hear in my conversations with General Counsel is the toll on mental health. The expectations and pace are fuelling widespread burnout. 

 

In one recent survey, a staggering 100% of deputy general counsels reported feeling stressed or burned out. Broader studies of the legal profession show over 70% of lawyers struggling with anxiety and 66% feeling overwhelmed. I’ve had GCs confide that they worry about their team’s well-being and their own. Long hours, constant accessibility (thank you, smartphones), and the high stakes of every decision create an environment rife with exhaustion.

 

Forward-thinking GCs are responding by prioritizing healthier team cultures, resisting the 24/7 grind where possible – but it’s an uphill battle. Maintaining personal resilience and supporting one’s team has become as critical as any legal skill.

 

A pefect storm

These compounding issues have created what one report dubbed a “perfect storm” for in-house leaders. The result is a role that can feel unsustainable unless GCs find new ways to adapt.

 

In 2025, being a “limitless” General Counsel doesn’t come from any magic pill – it comes from hard-won adaptability, resilience, and leadership. The GCs who succeed in this high-pressure environment are not necessarily those with the highest IQ or the fanciest pedigrees; they are those who continuously learn and evolve.

 

In my conversations with battle-hardened GCs, they emphasize the importance of building diverse teams, leveraging technology and alternative legal services to stretch their budgets, and knowing when to step back to avoid burnout.

 

They also underscore the value of emotional intelligence – the ability to influence without authority, to mentor junior lawyers, and to maintain perspective amid constant demands. Paradoxically, the limitless GC of today needs to know their limits and surrounds themselves with the right support.

 

As an executive search advisor, when I assess GC candidates for a client, I’m looking for this blend of breadth and balance: a leader who can pivot from high-level strategy to nitty-gritty details, who is as comfortable in the boardroom as in the war room during a crisis, and who hasn’t lost their human touch despite the stress. The GCs who thrive are those who can stay calm in chaos and translate uncertainty into actionable strategy.

 

In an age of endless demands, these legal leaders prove that while they may not literally be limitless, their value to the enterprise certainly is.

 

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Ben Cockram is Managing Director, In-House Counsel Recruiting at Major, Lindsey & Africa

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and PrathanChorruangsak