General counsel gender balance
The news in 60 seconds
According to the Annual Fortune 500 General Counsel Report prepared by Russell Reynolds Associates, general counsel (GC) appointments at US Fortune 500 companies almost reached gender parity for the first time last year. 49 per cent of 59 new GCs appointed were women, compared to 42 per cent in 2020 and 28 per cent in 2018. Ethnic diversity also increased from 24 per cent in 2019 to 34 per cent in 2021. GC “churn” had also risen due to evolving business models and new demands on leaders.