Do we have to be serious to be taken seriously?

Do you have to be serious to be taken seriously as an in-house lawyer? In the latest episode of the GC Spotlight Podcast, Brian Noon and Lauren Cannon are joined by Helen Kennedy-Shamir, Chief Legal Officer at Checkatrade, to find out.

For Helen, being an effective General Counsel is about understanding the business, communicating clearly and having the confidence to bring your personality to work. Being approachable, building genuine relationships and being someone people actually want in the room are all part of her approach to leadership.

Helen’s career has taken her from private practice in Newcastle and a move to London, through investment and listed-company work, big-company pressure and pandemic-era crisis management, to a role she describes as the best job she’s ever had.

Her experience has also shaped how she sees the move from lawyer to trusted business leader. Legal knowledge matters, but so do judgement, communication and understanding what the business is actually trying to achieve.

And being senior doesn’t mean you have to become overly serious. From making time for fun with her team to her light-hearted out-of-office messages, Helen explains why there is still room for humour and personality at work, and why that can help build stronger relationships.

For in-house lawyers, there are some useful lessons here. Being taken seriously as an in-house lawyer isn’t just about knowing the law. It’s also about understanding the business, communicating well and building strong relationships with the people around you, without losing the personality that makes you approachable in the first place.

Listen to Helen’s episode of the GC Spotlight Podcast at gcspotlightpodcast.com.