Why today’s general counsel are being pushed to the limit

As this shift accelerates, pressure on legal teams is mounting, with their roles stretching far beyond traditional boundaries into an environment where legal questions are increasingly shaped by commercial, regulatory, and technological forces.

According to a recent KPMG report, a combination of expanding regulatory requirements, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological change is driving this growing complexity, placing mounting compliance and operational pressure on organisations.

Against this backdrop, general counsel are navigating an increasingly demanding environment, with rising expectations pushing legal leaders to manage a broader and more complex range of responsibilities than ever before.

The KPMG report found that the expanding range of issues requiring legal advice has become another major pressure point for general counsel, with 36 per cent of respondents identifying it as one of the biggest contributors to growing complexity in their role.

Closely behind this was the sheer volume and complexity of regulation affecting organisations, identified by 39 per cent of respondents as the leading source of pressure facing legal leaders today.

The big four law firm pointed out that the emergence of these issues as the two leading sources of complexity highlights how legal teams are becoming “increasingly responsible for coordinating risk, regulation and business strategy across the organisation”.

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Despite mounting pressure and the growing complexity of their expanding responsibilities, the report found legal departments are continuing to deliver strong results across a broad range of key performance areas.

KPMG found that a large proportion of general counsel continue to report strong success in adapting to new areas of law and regulation, with 84 per cent saying they have effectively upskilled to meet emerging demands, and 82 per cent reporting they are now delivering faster, more strategic insights to senior leadership.

While the results point to overall success, a closer look reveals a clear gap between solid performance and peak achievement.

Many respondents describe themselves as “successful” in gaining competency in new areas; however, the report revealed that only a small proportion go as far as rating themselves “very successful”, with just 35 per cent placing themselves in that category.

Jillian Frank, national leader, legal transformation, technology and managed services for KPMG Law Canada, shared that as legal teams undergo structural transformation, leading organisations are rethinking how legal work is delivered, structured, and supported by technology in order to manage increasing complexity and change more effectively.

“Legal functions are entering a period of structural transformation,” Frank said.

“As expectations for efficiency, transparency, and strategic contribution rise, leading organisations are rethinking how legal work is delivered, how teams are structured, and how technology is embedded into the operating model.”

In the same report, the big four law firm revealed how general counsel are emerging as a critical force behind modern business strategy, evolving beyond traditional legal roles to become influential decision-makers driving transformation, navigating emerging risks, and shaping enterprise-wide growth.