United Kingdom Rising Stars 2014
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world for 28 years. In a new series, The Legal 500 is turning its attention to the in-house function, shining a spotlight on the role of corporate counsel, and in particular those individuals who are driving both legal business and the profession forwards.
The aim of the UK: Rising Stars is to highlight those standout performers coming into their own at major companies, typically but not exclusively during their 30s – the GCs of tomorrow if you like….read more
Given the relatively flat nature of the career structure below group GC level and the increasing breadth of the UK in-house profession, identifying and then narrowing down the field to 100 was obviously going to prove more challenging than highlighting a group of GCs who had already climbed to the top of their ladder.
Our research, which was led by Legal Business news editor Caroline Hill and reporters Francesca Fanshawe and Sarah Downey, went through several stages, beginning with the online collection of hundreds of individual nominations before we moved to directly canvassing senior figures in the profession. Inevitably, pulling together such a list is not an exact science once you go beyond the easy-to identify standout chief legal officers at major companies, but the breadth of nominations and weeks of research among our established contact base means we feel we’ve made a very credible start on which to build in future. To widen the scope of the project, we have also built on the core UK Powerlist itself to solicit commentary on the changing demands made of up-and-coming in-house counsel and to provide analysis of how the career outlook and opportunities of working with major corporates are evolving. To keep continuity with last year’s report and the 100 senior UK GCs we highlighted in 2013, this group was again canvassed for their input on the best mid-level talent on offer and how they as GCs are looking to develop more of this breed.
David Burgess
Publishing Director
It has been a great honour for Legal 500 to introduce the third edition of the GC Powerlist: Puerto Rico 2025 in San Juan, celebrating the outstanding in-house professionals shaping this jurisdiction’s corporate legal landscape.
This year’s reception welcomed general counsel, chief legal officers, legal directors and other leading corporate legal figures from across industries based in Puerto Rico, recognising their contributions to governance, innovation and public trust in the in-house legal sphere. This spirit is positioning Puerto Rico’s, as one of the most dynamic and resilient jurisdictions in the region.
Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this edition of the GC Powerlist: Puerto Rico at Legal 500, opened the evening by addressing the approximately 50 corporate legal professionals across industries who attended the reception in San Juan. In her remarks, Godoy highlighted how the research conducted for this edition revealed the remarkable resilience and human-centered approach of Puerto Rico’s in-house legal community. From being an example of adaptability and foresight when managing post-crisis reconstruction and fiscal reforms, to combining technological innovation with ethical responsibility, Puerto Rican legal leaders’ blend of integrity, empathy and purpose-driven leadership sets them as referents in their sectors.
Following Godoy, Miriam Figueroa, managing partner of DLA Piper Puerto Rico, and our hosts of the evening, addressed the audience with some remarks that highlighted the resilience of an in-house community that, in the face of uncertainty, has helped the region keep thriving and growing its relevance in the global stage.
After Figueroa’s remarks, Godoy proceeded with the certificate’s ceremony, in which each powerlister was invited to the stage to collect their certificate.
This year’s GC Powerlist event in Puerto Rico served as a great opportunity for the awardees to meet and exchange reflections with their professional peers and the Legal 500 team.
On behalf of the entire team at Legal 500, we extend our warmest congratulations to all those included in the third edition of the GC Powerlist: Puerto Rico. You stand as an example of resilience, leadership, and vision.
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to DLA Piper, our sponsors, for joining us in recognising the exceptional talent driving progress across Puerto Rico’s legal profession. And, of course, to each of the honourees who shared their time and insights with us. It has been a privilege to share your stories and to celebrate the enduring impact you make every day.
