A critical lawyer resigns.
Who takes over the regulatory decisions, business relationships, institutional knowledge, and legal & contractual issues already in motion?
If the answer is “the GC,” “outside counsel,” or “we’ll figure it out,” the legal function has a succession problem.
The risk may already be visible:
- Critical knowledge sits with one person.
- The obvious successor isn’t ready or doesn’t want the role.
- Strong performance is being mistaken for leadership potential.
- The GC remains the backup for every important position.
- Development plans are not connected to future business needs.
- The team is structured around today’s immediate needs, not what the company will require in three to five years.
Most legal departments know their people well. Far fewer have tested what would happen if a key person left or whether the team being developed today can support the future. Do you know the five-year business plan?
Make the Risk Visible
Our Legal Team Succession Assessment tool helps GCs and CLOs answer three questions:
1. Where are we exposed today?
Assess each team member’s capability, institutional knowledge, retention risk, aptitude impact, successor coverage, and knowledge transfer.
A name on an organization chart is not succession coverage. The backup must be ready, interested and be given developmental opportunities so both parties can test and assess the decision.
2. Who can assume broader responsibility?
Evaluate performance and potential separately.
A high-performing lawyer may not want or be suited for a broader leadership role. A developing lawyer may have significant potential but need specific experience, sponsorship, or stretch assignments before becoming ready.
Succession planning requires an honest assessment of capability, aspiration, and timing.
3. What existing and future capabilities will the company need?
Look beyond current positions and identify the capabilities the organization will require over the next three to five years.
Where is future importance high but current coverage weak? Should the legal department:
- Build the capability internally?
- Invest in it through an external hire?
- Borrow it from outside counsel?
- Automate or redesign the work?
- Maintain the current model?
Before the Vacancy
The worst time to discover that no one can step into a critical role is after the resignation. You’re no longer leading but reacting to decisions.
Succession planning is not about naming replacements or making promises. It is about protecting continuity, developing talent intentionally, and ensuring the legal function can keep supporting the business through departures, growth, and change.
The question is simple:
If one key person left tomorrow, where would your legal function be most exposed?
If the answer is not immediately clear, the assessment should begin now. Click here to access a self-guided succession assessment:
Legal_Team_Succession_Assessment_Charts (download resource link)
