In this interview, Mpumi Mazibuko discusses the crucial role of trust for General Counsels (GCs) in their relationships with business teams. Mpumi emphasizes that GCs must position themselves as strategic business partners rather than just lawyers. He highlights the importance of creative resource allocation in lean legal teams, focusing on areas that deliver tangible results and drive value. Mpumi stresses that GCs need to leverage both human capital and technology effectively to address critical business needs. By doing so, GCs can gain and reinforce trust with their business clients, which Mpumi describes as “invaluable currency” for business lawyers. This approach, he argues, enables GCs to provide impactful advice and maintain relevance within the enterprise.
Charlotte Johnstone: How do you think the role of the GC should be evolving right now?
Mpumi Mazibuko: The role of General Counsel (“GC”) has in fact evolved extensively over the years. I would posit, that this is because of the seismic changes and advances in commerce and business. As enterprise lawyers, GC’s have had to contend with the fact that their environment is dictated by volatility and therefore their skills set must be able to respond to a dynamic environment.
The environment that GC’s (business lawyers generally) function in, was accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic brought with it, unprecedented disruption to all spheres of business and highlighted the importance having a varied and adaptable nature as a business lawyer. This volatile environment has created a demands that are uniquely challenging for businesses. In our jurisdiction for instance, we have had had to deal with economic volatility; socio-political upheaval and climate/sustainability issues.
In my view the ability to evolve with persistent upheaval and uncertainty in an enterprise, will be a key factor in how GC’s remain relevant and poised for success in any entity.
Charlotte Johnstone: What can in-house legal teams do to make their advice more digestible and appropriate for the wider business?
Mpumi Mazibuko: A crucial starting point for a legal Team is to understand its role and purpose within an enterprise. Being a support function that churns out memos and opinions in a robotic fashion is no longer viable and the dynamic pace of business necessitates far more from in-house Teams.
The understanding that a Team, must be strategic partners rather than lawyers is fundamental. This factor calls on each Team member to internalise being a business partner and to think and act in a manner that drives business imperatives.
Another element is the use of relevant resources (coupled with engaging external counsel) by a Team. Identifying and harnessing these can assist Teams unpack and distil issues for the business in manner is that is not only “digestible and appropriate” but pragmatic and of value to their operational and market realities.
Charlotte Johnstone: How crucial is it for GCs to gain the trust of other teams and how can they achieve that?
Mpumi Mazibuko: Gaining the trust of a business client is indispensable for GCs and the Teams.
In most instances Teams are likely to be lean and flat in structure, this construct will require creative thinking from a GCs, in how to apportion resources to service the business. Therefore, a GC needs to identify which areas of the business, require attention in a manner that delivers tangible results and drives value. This means leveraging resources (human capital and technology), towards the work that matters and in doing so partnering with the business to gain and reinforce their trust.
The trust element is invaluable currency for any business lawyer and GCs who realise this will have relevance and be able to deliver service and advice that has impact for the enterprise.
Read full LegalTech Diaries Volume 5: https://www.legaltech-talk.com/legaltechdiaries/volume-5/
