Your General Counsel is likely to receive requests from various types of government agencies. He or she must determine the scope of these requests and provide all required information in a timely manner. Failure to do so can result in fines for your company and obstruction charges. The case of former GlaxoSmithKline associate General Counsel Lauren Stevens, who was later acquitted, serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen when there is even the perception information has been withheld.

Your next General Counsel must be unflinching in the face of scrutiny. Look for someone who has worked with regulators in a variety of areas and has a reliable system for maintaining important documents.