Top 5 Legal Governance, Risk, and Compliance Resources from 2021

The landscape of 2021 has been defined by a rapid expansion of responsibilities for Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) and General Counsel. Beyond traditional legal advice, these leaders are now the primary guardians of Legal Governance, Risk, and Compliance (Legal GRC), navigating the treacherous waters of privacy regulations, data breaches, and ransomware.

To help you stay ahead of these shifts, we have compiled the most impactful and popular resources of the year.

1. 2021 Chief Legal Officer Survey

In partnership with the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), this survey of nearly 1,000 CLOs provides a benchmark for how industry leaders are allocating resources and managing risk.

• Top Concern: Data privacy and security remain the dominant strategic priorities.
• The Shift: Legal leaders are becoming key players in overall business strategy, moving beyond a purely reactive role.

2. The General Counsel’s Guide to Legal GRC

Legal GRC isn't just a buzzword; it’s the convergence of legal operations, privacy, and IT. This guide explains why a holistic approach is superior to managing these components in silos.

• Key Benefit: Unified visibility reduces the "blind spots" that lead to regulatory fines and missed discovery deadlines.
• Strategic Alignment: Learn how to align legal risk with corporate business goals.

3. The State of E-Discovery 2021

This comprehensive report looks at the big picture of e-discovery. It tracks the evolution of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) and how new data sources (like Slack, Teams, and Zoom) are complicating the collection process.

• Trend Watch: The rise of remote work has permanently altered the "identification" and "collection" phases of e-discovery.

4. Filling in Your Blind Spots: Data Retention

Many organizations mistakenly believe that keeping everything is the safest route. In reality, "over-retention" creates a massive "attack surface" for hackers and increases the cost of e-discovery.

• The Goal: Implement a defensible data retention program that disposes of data once its legal or business value has expired.
• The Result: Reduced storage costs and significantly lower risk during a data breach.

5. 2021 Legal Technology Report

As legal departments mature, their reliance on technology moves from "nice to have" to "must-have." This report highlights why optimized organizations continue to invest in unified platforms rather than disconnected point tools.

• Efficiency: 64% of legal professionals cite increased efficiency as the primary driver for tech investment.
• The Unified Advantage: Discover why a single-platform approach is the most defensible way to manage Legal GRC.

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