The Domains of Corporate Counsel in an Era of Compliance

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of corporate in-house counsel in compliance. The rise of corporate counsel — most prominently, the Chief Legal Officer — has been accompanied by the growing demands of regulatory compliance and the emergence of the compliance profession. We examine the significant and positive influence of corporate counsel over two distinct yet interrelated domains: corporate governance and a culture of integrity. These two domains work together to establish the governance and cultural foundations of compliance within the corporation, and serve as the foundation for a pragmatic partnership between the corporation's legal and compliance functions.

Keywords: corporate compliance, corporate governance, corporate culture, business ethics, corporate counsel, chief legal officer, chief compliance officer