How Have In-House Teams Adapted to the Crisis?

This article was originally published in Legal Week. This article was also featured in the November/December 2020 Briefing Magazine. Any opinions in this article are not those of Winston & Strawn or its clients. The opinions in this article are the author’s opinions only.

In a recent article for Legal Week, Winston & Strawn London Partner Ben Bruton outlines how in-house teams have adapted to the challenges of COVID-19.

Logistically, like most of the global workforce, Ben writes that legal functions have shifted to remote working surprisingly seamlessly, with new working practices being readily embraced alongside a renewed emphasis on colleague wellbeing.

Ben noted that many colleagues will remember the challenges for legal practices in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and recognised the parallels between the financial uncertainty now and then. But comparisons between the two are limited, with the causes of the events being so different.

It remains to be seen what the long-term impact of COVID-19 will be on legal practice, but the early trends indicate third party litigation funding and an emphasis on constructive engagement between contractual counterparties are both on the up.

Read the full article here. 

For more on this topic, read Winston & Strawn’s Legal Leadership: General Counsel on Navigating Change series, which features perspectives from prominent legal chiefs on the short- and long-term ramifications of current events including the global pandemic, diversity and inclusion, and the economic, operational, and cultural impact of today’s most pressing legal issues on their businesses and industries.