Our third annual GC Power List report looks more like a state-of-the profession piece than its two predecessors. While the earlier reports focused on standout individuals, in 2015 we highlight 50 exceptional in-house teams, which inevitably addresses how clients operate.
Even a cursory glance at how these teams have evolved underlines the huge shift that has been taking place in the UK legal profession over the last 15 years: the best in-house legal teams are seizing influence, technical skills and budget, largely from their service providers.
This is particularly notable when it comes to managing their people. High-flying GCs are obsessive about talent and retention. This is largely why they strive to retain interesting work in-house: cost-saving is merely a justification, the primary reason is to motivate and develop their talent with engaging work.
Likewise, expanding in-house teams are using their scale to build formidable industry know-how. A common theme from our research is that law firms are failing to keep up with advances in sector insight at clients.
Even discounting some of the overblown claims about the savviness of GCs as buyers it is clear that bluechips in the UK have become materially more sophisticated purchasers of legal services since the banking crisis.
Successful in-house teams also usually display two related organisational characteristics: firstly an ability to step outside the day-to-day grind to deploy some measure of medium-term thinking and, secondly, develop a co-ordinated approach to building strong links with the business. Failing on these counts is a pretty reliable marker of the teams that struggle.
Those are the common experiences across in-house but huge differences remain between industries (the revenue-per-lawyer range in-house remains startlingly wide even between many comparable businesses). Beyond that it is increasingly obvious that there are two very different dynamics for the in-house profession. GCs working in heavily regulated and contentious sectors have built up vast legal teams interconnected with compliance functions in recent years. Those in less regulated sectors like retail and real estate have maintained surprisingly lean operations. In future, strategic thinking and operational support for in-house may have to more clearly recognise these very different models.
These observations lead to several conclusions. Firstly, these shifts represent an existential challenge to law firms as in-house counsel press their service providers into narrower roles. It’s not clear that law firms have grappled with the troubling implications of this for their business models. And, if we are currently witnessing the glory days for corporate legal teams, as ITV’s Andrew Garard convincingly asserts, then the UK profession is arguably overtaking its US equivalents in terms of sophistication. If true, those are two highly significant trends for the global legal market that will be playing out for years to come.
In the three years we at RPC have been involved with Legal Business’ GC Power List, the shifting sands of the economy have created both threat and opportunity across all sectors, in all jurisdictions; the rise and rise of the regulator has continued unabated; and the issue of enterprise-level risk has established itself firmly at the top of the corporate agenda.
Frightening? Actually, I take that back, it’s exhilarating. We live in interesting times. Interesting times bring interesting challenges. And interesting challenges give the very best people the opportunity to put down a marker and establish themselves as true leaders within their organisations.
And, as this stellar list of the 50 best in-house legal teams in the country shows, the most progressive lawyers are making up a growing number of those leaders. Not just as leaders of their teams but, increasingly, as genuine leaders of their organisations, influencing strategic direction and with a significant voice at the boardroom table.
Jonathan Watmough
Managing Partner
On March 18th, the Legal 500’s GC Summit: Cyprus 2025 brought together leading legal professionals, in-house counsel, and industry experts for a day of insightful discussions on key legal and regulatory challenges. The event served as a platform for exchanging ideas, examining recent developments, and exploring best practices across various legal disciplines. Held at the Hilton Nicosia, the conference gathered nearly 100 legal professionals, fostering a day of enriching conversations and valuable networking opportunities.
The event was made possible in association with our esteemed partners: Harris Kyriakides, Elias Neocleous & Co and Hadjianastassiou, Ioannides LLC (member of the Deloitte Legal network). With their support, the Legal 500 curated a dynamic agenda featuring four insightful panel discussions, each designed to address pressing issues facing in-house counsel today.
The sessions began with a welcoming address from Francisco Castro, Research Editor at the Legal 500, who emphasised the importance of fostering meaningful dialogue among corporate counsel and strengthening connections within the country’s in-house legal community.
The first panel explored competition law developments, focusing on Cyprus while incorporating perspectives from Greece, the EU, and the UK. Moderated by Michael Kyriakides (Harris Kyriakides), the discussion examined recent M&As, enforcement priorities, and legislative updates affecting businesses. Panellists, including Hara Nikolopoulou (Hellenic Competition Commission), Angelos Stenimachitis (Compass Lexecon), Victoria Mertikopoulou (Kyriakides Georgopoulos), and Eleni Neoptolemou (Harris Kyriakides), provided valuable insights into risk mitigation strategies and compliance best practices. Attendees gained a clearer understanding of how evolving competition laws impact market dynamics and corporate decision-making.
The second session focused on the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and its implications for financial institutions. Panellists discussed whether DORA enhances market resilience or imposes excessive compliance burdens. Moderated by Andrea Kallis Parparinou (Elias Neocleous & Co LLC), the panel featured insights from Emilios Charalambous, Michael Ioannou (both from Elias Neocleous & Co LLC), and Sofia Savva (Societe Generale Bank Cyprus), the latter providing insights from the financial sector. The discussion underscored how organisations can transform compliance obligations into strategic advantages, balancing regulatory adherence with business growth.
The third panel addressed the EU Pay Transparency Directive, emphasising its role in reinforcing equal pay and anti-discrimination principles. The discussion, led by Calliopi Nicolaidou (Hadjianastassiou Ioannides), covered key provisions, potential challenges in transposition, and the business benefits of pay equity. Contributions from Michalis Georgiou (Hadjianastassiou Ioannides), Lena Panayiotou (Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation), and Angeliki Fotopoulou (Coca-Cola HBC Greece & Cyprus) provided practical strategies for integrating compliance with organisational values, highlighting the directive’s far-reaching impact on hiring, compensation, and corporate culture.
The final panel discussion, moderated by Francisco Castro (Legal 500), explored the transformative role of AI in legal departments. Panellists Margarita Malai (GlobalDots), Evgenia Smirnova (TAPCLAP), and Stepan Chplakhyan (Smartcat) discussed how AI is reshaping in-house legal work, the ethical and regulatory complexities of AI adoption, and best practices for leveraging AI-driven tools. The session provided attendees with a roadmap for integrating AI while maintaining compliance and strategic alignment within their organisations.
Francisco Castro concluded the summit by thanking speakers and participants for their contributions, as well as the amazing audience in attendance. He reiterated the importance of ongoing collaboration within the legal community to navigate emerging regulatory and technological challenges effectively. The event wrapped up with an engaging networking lunch, providing attendees with an opportunity to connect and continue discussions in an informal setting.
The GC Summit: Cyprus 2025 successfully brought together industry leaders to discuss pressing legal issues, share expertise, and explore forward-thinking strategies. The discussions reinforced the need for legal professionals to proactively engage with regulatory changes and technological advancements, ensuring that legal departments remain key drivers of business resilience and innovation. The Legal 500 looks forward to returning to Cyprus and further strengthening its relationships with the country’s in-house legal community in the future.
