Most in-house lawyers are familiar with the tension: hired to give legal advice, yet often drawn into decisions that go beyond their legal roles. In many cases, these decisions are made in isolation, particularly in small or solo teams, without the luxury of a sounding board. With blurred boundaries come ethical challenges. Internal investigations, conflicts of interest, pressure to stay quiet, are real dilemmas that come up in the day to day job of a legal counsel. To handle them well, lawyers need both clarity of role and a strong ethical foundation. As one GC recently put it:
“We’re not just there for the apocalypse. We’re part of the solution.”
It is common for legal teams to be embedded across a business – but this means they are often acting as operator, risk manager and corporate conscience alongside being a legal advisor.
Being close to the action means being close to potential risk. So if you’re looking to maintain role clarity for the legal function within your own organisation, here are five steps that can assist, as shared with us by a few GCs:
- Set expectations early
Whether you’re building a function from scratch or joining an established team, clarity from day one is vital. Be explicit about the scope of your role: what legal can advise on, where it hands over, and where the business decides. When the boundaries are clear, you reinforce legal’s position as a trusted guide — not the final approver.
- Onboard external advisors wisely
Even the most capable in-house lawyers can’t do it all alone. When bringing in external counsel or other advisors, ensure they’re briefed not only on legal issues, but also on the ethical context and your organisation’s risk appetite. Their role should complement yours not create ambiguity. Done well, they can add credibility and support sound decision-making.
- Map your decision points
Role-blurring often happens when responsibility isn’t clearly mapped. It can help to document where legal is expected to advise and where final decisions sit. Even simple workflows — “Legal to advise; executive to decide” — create helpful clarity, particularly in recurring areas of complexity or contention.
- Use informal influence
Influence isn’t always about hierarchy; it’s often about human connection. Build strong relationships across teams; finance, product, HR, operations, so that people seek legal input because they trust your judgement, not because they’re required to. When you’re known and respected beyond your title, it’s far easier to steer conversations and shape outcomes.
- Train your team to spot role-blurring
In larger organisations, legal may also oversee areas like compliance or procurement. That’s when lines can blur, particularly for junior team members who may feel pressure to “just make the call”. Equip them with language to push back, and the confidence to set boundaries. It’s part of doing the job well.
Ethical leadership plays a critical role in shaping culture and protecting reputation. With scrutiny from regulators, the media and the public at an all-time high, any misstep can carry consequences. Legal teams that are seen as principled, consistent and trusted can help steer the business through uncertainty — not just by keeping it compliant, but by encouraging the right behaviours and speaking up when it counts.
Being an in-house lawyer today means living in ambiguity. You’re both expert and generalist, enabler and conscience, and sometimes the one who has to lead the decision-making process.
The goal is to stay grounded in your ethical training, to make your value felt early and often, and to keep asking not just “what’s legal?” — but “what’s right?”