There’s been a quiet shift happening in corporate legal departments over the past decade.
Once viewed as technical specialists sitting at the end of the table, general counsels (GCs) are now taking their place at the heart of strategy, risk and reputation. And increasingly, the person stepping into that role is a woman.
In the UK, nearly 40% of FTSE 100 board members are now women, up from just 19% a decade ago. In 2022 half of the US Fortune 500 GCs were women. In Australia women lawyers were making 19.5% more than male colleagues.
In some sectors like healthcare, financial services and tech, female GCs are outpacing male counterparts in both numbers and influence. But this isn’t just about representation. It’s a story about how business is changing and the way women are shaping it.
Take Sonya Branch at the Bank of England, or Sandie Okoro, formerly of the World Bank Group. Both have helped steer major institutions through regulatory, reputational and social complexity – and did so while championing equity and inclusion within their organisations. Or Funke Abimbola, now a fractional GC at The Legal Director, who during her time at Roche combined her legal leadership with outspoken advocacy on racial equity and access to opportunity.
Rather than being anomalies this trio are emblematic of a broader shift. Today’s GCs are much more than legal gatekeepers keeping businesses on the straight and narrow – they’re cultural stewards, ESG navigators, and strategic advisors. And more often than not, they bring something essential to boardrooms that are finally recognising the need for emotional intelligence, clear communication and a holistic view of risk. It’s all about having an influence.
It’s not a coincidence that this evolution is happening at a time when businesses are being asked to do more than just turn a profit. Whether it’s grappling with the climate transition, responding to consumer activism, or navigating shifting workplace norms, companies need leaders who can engage with complexity. Women GCs, many of whom have spent their careers at the intersection of law, ethics and people, are stepping forward.
Research from the FT Innovative Lawyers Report in 2024 found that companies with women in top legal roles were more likely to embed ESG in their decision-making, and more likely to proactively engage with issues of employee wellbeing and responsible governance. It also showed that these legal leaders were often more collaborative across departments – working closely with HR, comms, and finance – to tackle cross-cutting business issues.
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This is something we see often at The Legal Director, where we place experienced GCs into organisations on a fractional basis. Our model is flexible by design – but what’s interesting is that it’s often women lawyers who thrive in it. They’re commercial, pragmatic, and adept at building trust quickly. But they’re also used to working around rigid structures that didn’t always accommodate them. Now, they’re creating new ones.
Fractional roles are opening up space for senior women to lead on their own terms. At a time when many businesses can’t justify a full-time GC but desperately need legal input to guide them through growth or change, this model gives them access to senior strategic advice. And for the lawyers – often at the top of their game but wanting balance, autonomy, or simply something different – it’s a win-win.
And it matters who fills those seats. The presence of women GCs sends a powerful message about what leadership looks like. It helps shift perceptions, breaks down outdated hierarchies, and builds pipelines for the next generation of legal talent. It also adds weight to the push for businesses to lead with purpose – because these GCs aren’t just asking what’s legal. They’re asking what’s right. And they’re doing it with a commercial knowledge and savviness that drives growth.
The journey isn’t done. Women remain underrepresented at the very top of law firms and FTSE boards. Barriers persist – from bias to burnout – and progress is uneven across sectors. But the momentum is real. And the influence of women GCs is only growing.