Helping in-house lawyers to manage relationships
A leadership consultant who has overcome cancer is planning a series of one-day workshops aimed at helping in-house lawyers to manage relationships.
Ciarán Fenton is also a board facilitator, a writer and speaker on managing relationships at work, and an expert on ESG (environmental, social, and governance).
In 2022 he was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, had extensive chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant, leading to remission.
During his treatment, he wrote a book entitled The Modern In-house Lawyer: Optimising Relationships for Growth & Success in an ESG Environment (Globe Law & Business, 2023).
Fenton says that the number of in-house lawyers and their responsibilities have increased “exponentially” since the 2008 financial crash.
‘Increasing stress’
“In addition, the role, purpose, and behaviour of in-house lawyers have been increasingly in the spotlight due to corporate and political scandals leading to increased regulatory scrutiny,” he stated.
“These factors have put in-house lawyers under increasing stress in managing their relationships with themselves, their teams, and with their client organisations – and vice versa,” Fenton adds.
He says that international studies, as well as the experience of his own consulting practice, have shown that lawyers stress is increasing, with much of the stress emanating from challenges in managing relationships.
Tfor in-house lawyers takes place at Spaces, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin on 13 October.