In-House Counsel Tackle More Government Affairs in Uneasy Times

Corporate legal leaders are taking a bigger role in government and public affairs as businesses navigate a volatile political environment.

At a time when a public misstep can quickly spark policy and legal blowback, a chief legal officer’s risk mitigation work increasingly includes meetings with policymakers and oversight of the company’s reputation and messaging. The role’s remit has been expanding over the last decade beyond a focus on purely legal risks like litigation threats.

“There’s a strong gravitational pull that Washington is now having, because of its outsize influence on companies,” said Ron Bonjean, co-founder and partner of the bipartisan ...