In-house legal teams are under more pressure than ever to add value to their organisations. This Special Report combines the rigour of Harvard research with a pragmatic focus based on input from hundreds of General Counsels, in-house lawyers, CEOs and board members to show why and how legal teams work across silos – what we call ‘Smart Collaboration.’ It includes the business case, practical tips, case studies and tools to help legal teams master the four essential ‘vectors’ of collaboration:

1. Within legal: the full potential of legal and non-legal talent. Rethink hiring and onboarding. Collaborate across countries and cultures. Elevate leadership skills and engineer work to make time for collaboration.

2. With the business: create more innovative, strategic solutions by partnering with business leaders. Proactively engage with the board and c-suite to deliver value.

3. Across functions: integrate with other departments (Finance, R&D, HR, etc.) to create more holistic solutions that capture opportunities, lower risk, and improve the employee and customer experience.

4. Externally: co-develop solutions to shape regulatory agendas and inform public discourse. Maximise value with outside counsel and other third-party legal providers.

Vetted by dozens of General Counsel and in-house lawyers, this report will benefit all members of in-house legal teams and those who work with them (eg, executives, heads of other corporate functions, recruiters and consultants). Partners and leaders in law firms will also gain from a deeper understanding of their clients’ operations and aspirations.