Crafty Counsel x Travers Smith
The role of General Counsel has never been more pivotal, or more pressured. Legal leaders are navigating a perfect storm of geopolitical instability, fast-moving regulation, technological disruption, and rising stakeholder expectations. From climate risk to cybersecurity, from supply chain due diligence to the implications of generative AI, GCs are expected to lead with confidence in areas where the rules are still being written.
These challenges create a moment of opportunity for in-house leaders to shape business strategy, influence responsible decision-making, and future-proof your legal team for what’s ahead.
That’s why Crafty Counsel has partnered with Travers Smith to create GC Outlook 2026 – a guide built for in-house legal professionals who want to stay one step ahead. It brings together legal expertise, commercial awareness, and insight from the Crafty Counsel community to spotlight the forces reshaping in-house legal work.
Inside, we explore three urgent priorities for legal teams:
- Shouldering the regulatory burden – As governments and regulators respond to geopolitical and economic uncertainty, legal teams must track a growing list of reforms. This guide helps you focus on the developments that matter most – and offers practical advice for cutting through compliance fatigue.
- Managing AI and data compliance – AI isn’t coming. It’s already here. But many organisations are only just beginning to grapple with the legal and ethical implications. From IP ownership to cybersecurity blind spots, we highlight the risks legal teams need to watch – and how to take a proactive, practical approach to governance.
- Rethinking legal leadership in an AI-enabled world – AI is changing how work gets done. But it doesn’t replace judgement, nuance, or leadership. We look at what high-performing in-house teams will need to thrive in 2026 and beyond – and how legal leaders can support their teams to adapt with clarity and confidence.
The legal landscape is shifting fast. But when legal teams are equipped with the right insight, they don’t just respond to change – they lead it.
Read the full GC Outlook 2026 here.