Christine Garrison, General Counsel and Secretary Farmland Partners (NYSE: FPI), participated in a video interview during Nareit’s REITWISE: 2024 Law, Accounting & Finance Conference, held March 19-21 in Hollywood, Florida.
Garrison highlighted the increasing demands on general counsel, emphasizing the need to do more with less in today’s corporate landscape and the additional pressure placed on GCs to manage a wide range of compliance issues. He also underlined the growing role of GCs in understanding business operations, including cybersecurity measures and environmental impacts, which requires broader experience and expertise.
“Companies are looking for more experience and broader experience for general counsel,” he said, indicating a trend to seek external candidates for increased efficiency.
Addressing potential future challenges, Garrison warned about the emergence of “cyberwashing litigation” similar to greenwashing suits in the field of cybersecurity reporting. She advises companies to prudently formulate cyber security policies to minimize legal risks.
