Changing Perceptions: How to stop your colleagues from assuming you’re the ’Department of No’

Sarah Davis, General Counsel, The Legal Director, UK

An in-house colleague of mine once disclosed that he was known as the ’Sales Prevention Officer’ in one of the businesses he worked for. And this sort of attitude towards the legal department is fairly widespread. Perhaps based on old realities and perceptions, businesses can often see the legal department as the blocker – a necessary but aggravating barrier to cross before they can achieve what they want. But how do legal departments transform this outdated perception? And why is it important to shift the dial on this issue?

Sarah is a highly experienced GC, businesswoman and NED with a pragmatic approach to securing commercially excellent results for values-driven organisations. She was at the Guardian for over 16 years, as Group Legal Director and then General Counsel, before joining ITV plc as Director Group Legal Affairs.

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