Business & Leadership - Chief Legal Officers Leading through the VUCA World, Arming Yourself for a Trade War? Tariffs and the Legal and Strategic Considerations faced by Chief Legal Officers. Role of Global Law Firm Partners in Navigating CLOs in times of Crisis & Disruption
14th Annual Legal Era India Conclave 2025 | Panel On Business & Leadership - Chief Legal Officers Leading through the VUCA World, Arming Yourself for a Trade War? Tariffs and the Legal and Strategic Considerations faced by Chief Legal Officers. Role of Global Law Firm Partners in Navigating CLOs in times of Crisis & Disruption
In an increasingly complex global environment marked by geopolitical tensions, rapid technological evolution, economic volatility, and shifting regulatory landscapes, the role of legal leadership is undergoing a fundamental transformation. The panel of experienced Chief Legal Officers (CLOs), compliance leaders, and business executives emphasized that legal professionals must transcend traditional boundaries to become strategic partners in business resilience and growth. The discussion highlighted the need for CLOs to integrate legal expertise with broader business acumen, technological awareness, and geopolitical insight, positioning themselves as indispensable navigators in a world defined by uncertainty.
Key Highlights:
- Evolving Environment: The BANI framework (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) better captures today’s business challenges than the older VUCA model. Events such as pandemics, trade wars, regulatory reforms, and global alliances have reshaped the landscape, making uncertainty the new norm.
- Strategic Role of CLOs: CLOs must go beyond traditional legal advice to become strategic advisors involved in risk management, supply chain resilience, regulatory intelligence, digital transformation, and public policy monitoring.
- Technology’s Impact: Artificial intelligence, digital contracts, cybersecurity, and data privacy are critical areas where legal leadership must balance innovation with compliance and ethical considerations.
- Supply Chain and Third-Party Risk: Proactive legal oversight in mapping supplier risks, negotiating flexible contracts, and continuous monitoring is essential to maintain business continuity amid geopolitical and economic disruptions.
- Use of Legal Tech: Adoption of AI-powered compliance tools, contract lifecycle management systems, and automated sanction screening helps legal teams increase efficiency, accuracy, and audit readiness.
- Capacity Building and Training: Empowering frontline and regional teams through regular training and updated playbooks democratizes legal knowledge, enabling swift and compliant decision-making across geographies.
- Vendor and Third-Party Management: Risk-based vendor engagement with differentiated contractual terms according to vendor criticality is crucial. Flexibility, transparency, and collaboration with vendors underpin successful partnerships.
- Contractual Agility: Incorporating change-in-law, force majeure, hardship, and price adjustment clauses can mitigate risks arising from regulatory or geopolitical shifts.
- Leadership and Governance: Strong leadership—rooted in ethics, foresight, and decisiveness—is paramount to navigate complex regulatory, geopolitical, and operational challenges effectively.
Featured Panelists:
- Dr. Vivek Mittal, Global General Counsel, HUL
- Debolina Bahl, Senior Director - Legal, LTIMindtree
- Laurenz Littmann, General Counsel, Siemens India
Moderator:
- Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer, Marico
Session Partner: Fiama
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