The First-Time GCs Survival Guide

Your first 90 days can define your legacy. We interviewed top GCs who’ve built from zero, led through crisis, and earned their seats at the table. Read our playbook and lead with clarity from day one.

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Is your legal team moving fast or just staying busy?

Speed in Legal is defined by how work is structured, how technology is governed, and how Legal is perceived inside the organization.

Most GCs know their team is stretched. What they don’t always see is which structural factors are slowing progress and which levers actually improve speed without increasing workload.

What you’ll find inside:

This report gives General Counsel, Legal Ops leaders, and Deputy GCs a clear, data-backed picture of where legal speed is being lost — and what high-performing teams are doing differently.

01

The strategic vs. tactical trap
83% of GCs say their work skews more tactical than their ideal. Understand what is creating this gap and how leading teams are creating more strategic capacity.

02

The AI competency gap
AI adoption is increasing, but maturity remains uneven. Learn where teams are seeing value and how governance impacts adoption.

03

The human cost of operating at this pace
Burnout continues to impact legal teams. Explore how leading organizations are improving team health and retention.

04

Internal friction and Legal Ops maturity
Frequent friction with the business and missing Legal Ops functions continue to slow teams down. See what mature organizations do differently.

05

What speed actually requires in 2026
Legal speed depends on alignment between people, process, technology, and governance. See where teams should focus first.

“Treat your legal function like a product. Understand your users, collect feedback, iterate often, and measure results. That mindset changes how you prioritise and how the business perceives you”
Smiling woman with wavy brown hair, wearing gold hoop earrings and a beige top, against a blue circular background.
Sarah Irwin
Founder and Community Builder, ITGC
“The biggest shift is moving from a ‘tool-first’ mindset to a ‘problem-first’ one... AI isn’t magic dust; it’s a strategic enabler that amplifies good processes and exposes weak ones.”
Smiling woman with long dark hair against a blue circular background.
Alessandra Colaci
CEO and Founder, Legal +AI
“A fancy CLM or AI system will merely automate whatever process you've got - good or bad. The real competitive advantage comes from smart process design, clear roles, and aligning legal and business teams before technology.”
Smiling woman with curly blonde hair against a blue circular background.
Lucy Bassli
Former AGC, Microsoft
“ROI starts with identifying the exact pain point you want to solve — deal velocity, risk calibration, visibility, or business enablement. Without that clarity, you're fishing in the dark, no matter how shiny your tools are.”
Smiling bald man with glasses wearing a black jacket against a bright blue background.
Akshay Verma
Chief Operating Officer, SpotDraft

Your first 90 days and beyond