Amid the far-reaching disruptions caused by the pandemic, safeguarding client relationships, maintaining seamless delivery of legal services and supporting an engaged and productive (and largely remote) staff have been critical priorities. As law firm and legal department leaders manage these and other health, safety and business continuity matters, they are facing growing compliance risks they can't be ignored. Changes in operational procedures and data security triggered by remote work arrangements and virtual communications channels are just a couple areas where legal teams are working to ensure compliance programs are up-to-date, effective and resilient.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, is joined by Kim Dickerson, a regional managing director with global consulting firm Protiviti, a subsidiary of Robert Half. They examine current issues that are amplifying compliance risks and discuss ways to manage compliance requirements with evolving regulations governing office re-openings, vetting and working with new suppliers, new technologies, and more. They also offer strategies to help mitigate these risks while reinforcing compliance effectiveness across the organization.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Heightened data privacy, security, economic, and legal pressures all serve to underscore why a comprehensive and effective contract management program is essential in today's business environment. Organizations that fail to regularly evaluate and update contract management platforms and processes expose themselves to a host of operational, legal and financial risks.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, is joined by Bernie Donachie, managing director of Protiviti's supply chain solutions practice, and Frank Serge, managing vice president with Robert Half Legal's consulting solutions practice, to discuss best practices for contract lifecycle management. They explore why legal and contract teams are increasingly adopting a digitized system; and how other tech advancements, including artificial intelligence applications, help to strengthen contract processes and enable more effective analysis, while minimizing compliance, operational and financial risks. They also offer critical strategies and actions that can help reboot contract management platforms to achieve maximum control, benefits and value.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

After employing the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as its primary interest rate benchmark for more than 35 years, the financial services industry is preparing for a critical transition. The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority is expected to cease publication of LIBOR by Dec. 31, 2021. This pending action is pushing financial institutions to plan and implement modifications as they phase out LIBOR and shift to an alternative reference rate – with legal teams providing essential guidance and expertise along the way.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, is joined by Doug Wilbert, a managing director with Protiviti, to discuss significant legal implications inherent in the benchmark transition. They explore the operational, legal and compliance challenges of replacing LIBOR with an alternative reference rate – and how legal teams are needed to make crucial impact assessments, identify and manage legal and contractual risks, conduct litigation and regulatory reviews, and more.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

The legal services sector has seen unprecedented change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode of The Robert Half Legal Report examines strategies that law firms and corporate legal departments are using to adjust to the realities of today's business environment. Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Billie Moliere, district president with the company, explore key considerations as legal offices re-open. They explore how the expansion of remote work is reshaping staff management, and how creativity, flexibility, and diversity are playing increasingly critical roles in the workplace. They also discuss emerging legal hiring trends and practice area expertise in demand.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Data privacy remains a critical priority for businesses today. The introduction and enforcement of regulations to protect consumers' personal data is a trend that shows no sign of abating. And that reality has become a key challenge as organizations seek to maintain compliance amid ever-shifting privacy mandates.

In this episode of the Robert Half Legal Report attorneys Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Joel Wuesthoff, a managing director with the company's consulting solutions practice, discuss significant updates relating to data privacy that could directly impact your business and compliance obligations. They explore recent changes in the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including enforcement actions. They examine the impact of a landmark ruling that invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield, offering approaches to set a new course for EU-US data transfers. And they suggest strategies to help companies ensure ongoing data privacy compliance, including an audit checklist.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Controlling costs remains a top priority for corporate legal departments – so it's not surprising that in-house leaders are seeking greater value for legal services from outside counsel. What knowledge, capabilities and skills do general counsel look for when hiring external law firms? What criteria do they use to measure strategic value and productive relationships with law firms they retain?

Join this episode of the Robert Half Legal Report as host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half Legal, discuss the changing expectations of legal departments and the impact on the selection, management and evaluation of outside counsel. They also offer tips to help law firms respond effectively to heightened expectations and more clearly demonstrate their value.

Career growth opportunities, job security and collaboration are top work-related priorities for Gen Z. By 2025, they are expected to comprise roughly 30 percent of the workforce. Understanding Gen Z's unique perspectives and career expectations is essential if you want to successfully recruit, manage and retain these professionals in the legal workplace. Are you ready?

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half Legal, outline Gen Z's values, attitudes and career aspirations – their preferred work environment, passion for creative freedom and desire for a work culture that supports smart risk-taking – and offer critical strategies to recruit and motivate this next generation of legal professionals.

While countless companies address the ongoing challenge of maintaining compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), many are also preparing for obligations set forth by the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), scheduled to become law next year. And the work doesn't stop there – governments worldwide, including federal, state and provincial jurisdictions in North American, continue to embrace stricter security and privacy laws, raising the bar to safeguard individuals' information and provide consumers more control of their personal data.

How can organizations stay current on rapidly evolving regulations? How can they effectively prioritize and satisfy new data policy and compliance requirements and importantly, protect their customers' trust?

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, Joel Wuesthoff, JD, managing director of consulting solutions with Robert Half Legal, offer strategies to help companies stay ahead of the curve and adjust security and privacy practices to manage the growing volume of data regulations. Join these experts to gain key insights on:

• Key steps to develop and maintain a comprehensive data privacy compliance framework
• Leveraging data policies and processes to comply with security/privacy requirements from multiple jurisdictions
• Determining if a data protection officer is required – or warranted
• Integrating data security and privacy practices into an organization's risk management and operational infrastructure
• Staying current with changing regulations – what's coming and how to prepare

Succession planning is top of mind for today's legal leaders, for good reason. Nearly 65 percent of equity partners are projected to retire during the next decade, according to research cited in a report from the ABA and the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, while corporate law departments expect a similar exodus from their leadership ranks. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, Ida Abbott, principal of Ida Abbott Consulting, joins host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, to discuss critical components of succession planning that can position law firms or legal departments, their clients and departing leaders for future success. They provide insights to assist firms in respectfully supporting senior-level lawyers as they prepare to exit the practice and offer strategies to help lawyers identify and plan a positive transition into retirement or their next career post.

Whether you're a tenured legal professional or just starting out, monitoring the dynamic legal landscape and adjusting to evolving changes is key to your professional growth and marketability. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half Legal, explore the latest hiring and compensation trends expected to shape the legal profession in 2019.

Maintaining and engaging a diverse workforce isn't just a matter of equal opportunity – it's an essential business strategy, with value tied to a broad range of perspectives, knowledge and skills. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorneys Charles Volkert, senior district president at Robert Half Legal, and Joy Dingle, the director of legal diversity pipeline programs at Street Law, Inc., examine how legal community partnerships are being used to expose youth in underrepresented groups to the legal profession and help build a diverse pipeline of students who are interested in legal careers.

Charles Volkert, senior district president, Robert Half Legal.

Joy Dingle, director, legal diversity pipeline programs, Street Law, Inc.