2023 in Review: Top 13 Most Popular Resources for In-House Legal Teams

Looking Back: Lessons Learned in 2023

The new year is here and with it come our annual reflections on the state of the legal industry. And boy, do we have a lot on which to reflect. It’s safe to say that 2023 was a year of rapid change for corporate legal teams everywhere, from the sudden implementation of large language models (LLM) and generative AI to the quick pivots required by shrinking budgets and increasing workloads.

Welcome to our comprehensive guide, highlighting the most popular insights from Axiom over the last year, shedding light on the transformative trends continuing to shape the legal landscape going forward. Whether you're a General Counsel (GC), Deputy General Counsel (DGC), in-house counsel, or even a CEO, CFO, or business leader these resources equip you with the knowledge to navigate the competitive landscape and make informed decisions to boost your business’s ultimate success.

1. AI in Law: Six Ways Axiom is Riding the AI/LLM Wave (and how you can, too) – This article provides six pragmatic and effective ways of leveraging AI from Axiom's head of Technical Product Management and it also shares how Axiom has successfully implemented LLM in their daily workflow to find the right lawyer for their clients more efficiently and effectively.

2. AI Revolution for In-House Legal Teams: The Seven Headlines All Lawyers Need to Know – Looking at both the implications and opportunities presented by AI in the legal industry in 2023, this article explores how generative AI tools like ChatGPT are empowering lawyers, enabling speed and efficiency in tasks such as case research, drafting contracts, and rewriting emails.
3. Answering the “Big Three” AI Questions for Lawyers: AI 101 – Axiom’s Higher Bar webinar panelists provide a comprehensive understanding of the differences between AI, LLMs, and ChatGPT; how to comfortably discuss these concepts in your legal department or firm; and practical advice on leveraging AI in your day-to-day work, from utilizing AI for administrative functions to optimizing your to-do list and becoming an expert prompt engineer.
4. AI and Data Privacy Trends: Emerging Trends for In-House Counsel – This webinar delves into the latest AI technologies and applications, equips legal leaders with AI vocabulary, provides strategies for drafting comprehensive AI policies, explores emerging trends and risks in AI and data privacy, and offers practical approaches to navigate the complex terrain of AI challenges.
5. Insight into How Peers Handle the New L&E Landscape: Gen Z Workforce – In this article, in-house counsel can explore the rise in labor and employment (L&E) related reports and what's behind them while delving into the unique characteristics of the Gen Z workforce. It also shares what your peers are doing to categorize and prioritize reports, how to provide effective training to prevent gateway behaviors, and ways to support management with additional tools and resources.
6. Exploring ESG Through the Lens of Risk Management: Why and How GCs Should Prioritize ESG in 2023 – Here, GCs can delve into the risks that come with neglecting ESG. This article also presents insightful information on how to implement an ESG program and highlights the importance of aligning these initiatives with core values and strategies.
7. The Problems with ESG Programs: Five Myths to Bust to Get C-Suite Buy-in – This article provides guidance on how to manage risk and gain stakeholder buy-in by exploring the intricate landscape of ESG compliance.
8. Attention GCs: You have More Flight Risks on Your Team Than Ever Before – Axiom's second annual "View from Inside" survey report reveals alarming insights for in-house leaders, highlights the escalating levels of dissatisfaction and burnout among legal professionals, and provides perspective into how best to optimize resourcing and retain your all-star legal team.
9. Axiom’s 2023 Deputy General Counsel Survey Report – This in-depth analysis of the role and challenges faced by Deputy General Counsels (DGCs) sheds light on the crucial responsibilities of DGCs and their impact on legal departments, including how DGCs across all industries navigate budget cuts, increasing workloads, and the need to leverage internal and external support networks while also seeking their own professional development.
10. Structuring for Success: How to Future-Proof Your Legal Department – In an era where GCs are under pressure to drive better value for their organizations, this webinar offers insights into optimizing your departmental structure; the benefits and risks associated with centralized, hybrid, and decentralized models; and how decentralization can lead to inefficiency and inadequate risk mitigation.
11. Axiom’s Five-Step Blueprint for Enhancing the Business-Legal Relationship – In this whitepaper, discover how to bridge the gap between legal and functional business leaders, tackling pain points, risks, and tensions that may arise with access to a proven blueprint that empowers both business leaders and General Counsels (GCs) to better support the commercial needs of the organization while effectively managing risk and budget.
12. Axiom 2024 Legal Budgeting – As 2024’s budget will no doubt need adapting throughout the year, this whitepaper offers a seven-step playbook for GCs to revolutionize their budgeting strategies by reducing fixed costs, shifting towards more variable spend, and effectively mitigating budget reductions, volume spikes, and unexpected legal matters.
13. 2024 Legal Landscape: Six Strategies for GCs to Navigate In-House Counsel Challenges – With Axiom's insightful article, gain a comprehensive understanding of the pressing issues that face legal leaders today by exploring the dissatisfaction among in-house counsel and uncovering practical solutions to tackle understaffing, workload management, and optimizing in-house support.

Looking Ahead: Predictions of What Is to Come

After a thorough reflection of the year past, every mind turns to the predictions of what is to come. What will the new year bring? Wins? Challenges? A mix of both? Here at Axiom, we have no doubt AI, ESG, and the need to build successful partnerships will remain hot, but we also predict savvy GCs will seek modern resourcing solutions as budgets continue to get smaller and external resourcing feels increasingly unobtainable with rate increases and continuous hiring freezes. So get ahead of the upcoming projects on your calendar this year with Axiom services and solutions and be among the first to see our 2024 GC survey report.

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