Evolving Role of General Counsel as the Torchbearer of Ethical Practices: An Indian Experience

Abstract

Today’s General Counsel is truly a global counsel who may deal with laws, documentation, governance along with issues ranging from corruption and fraudulent practices amongst stakeholders to concerns about corporate reputation, prosecution threats to executives and other employees. General Counsel have even assumed the critical role of ethical watchdog, tasked with ensuring corporate compliance with applicable law, as well as understanding the political and cultural landscape in which the company operates. This article elucidates on how the General Counsel in India is slowly but surely turning into a statesman who is expected by the management to uphold the corporate integrity and yet dexterously navigate the regulatory environment to facilitate the right kind of growth.