As India’s stature as a hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) grows, a quiet revolution is underway with the rise of Global Legal and Compliance Centres (GLCCs). Far from being mere support bases, GLCCs are emerging as engines of legal innovation and governance excellence, by delivering strategic value to multinational corporations while deepening India’s legal ecosystem.
At present, about 10% of India’s 1,800 GCCs host dedicated legal and compliance functions — translating to about 180 operational GLCCs across the country. “A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that these centres employ nearly 6,000 lawyers full-time, spanning sectors such as banking, financial services, pharmaceuticals, telecom, retail, technology, and energy,” remarks an industry observer.
No longer confined to back-end operations, GLCCs today handle key projects, support global legal departments directly, and even guide business decisions worldwide. “What were once seen as back-office support units are now strategic hubs,” says Ananya Sanyal, strategic partner at Counselect, a multidisciplinary consulting and managed solutions firm.
“Several Fortune 500 companies have integrated India into their global legal operating models. GLCCs here draft and negotiate contracts, monitor compliance across jurisdictions, and even help frame global business strategy. They have evolved into innovation engines and indispensable partners in multinational growth.”
Sanjit Batra, Group Vice President and Legal Head for Cummins India, rationalises the trend. “India’s deep bench of talent and English-speaking workforce, digital capabilities, scalability, and cost competitiveness provides immense opportunities for companies to integrate India into their overall global operating model while following their risk management processes and adherence to internal policies.”
To sustain this momentum, GLCCs are investing heavily in leadership development. Structured training programmes now equip lawyers with business-specific skills, contextual understanding, and exposure to global norms. Many have launched ‘intrapreneurship’ and leadership accelerators to groom future-ready legal professionals.
“This approach not only builds a robust internal talent pipeline but also produces lawyers adept at bridging corporate and international perspectives,” Sanyal adds. Global heavyweights such as JPMorgan, Société Générale, and Unilever have taken the lead.
JPMorgan’s Mumbai centre serves as a key upskilling hub; Société Générale offers fresh legal recruits rotational exposure across diverse functions; and Unilever’s India Legal Powerhouse emphasises career growth and global integration. Other prominent names — Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Tesco, Novartis, GSK, and Novo Nordisk — have built similar talent-focused programmes aligned with their business contexts.
With demand for specialised legal talent soaring, many GLCCs are experimenting with hybrid hiring models, including short-term secondments, flexi-talent arrangements, and collaborative ventures with service providers. This layered approach combines agility with institutional knowledge, helping companies scale operations seamlessly.
Leading corporations are also deepening talent pipelines through partnerships with premier law schools like the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru. “India’s legal talent pool offers both volume and excellence,” says Monica Pirgal, CEO of Bhartiya Converge and former managing director for Neiman Marcus Group in India.
“Many graduates bring global academic credentials and adapt quickly to complex cross-border work, driving operational shifts even for international law firms establishing dedicated offshore support teams.”
However, the expansion of GLCCs is reshaping competitive dynamics in the legal industry. With many centres now hiring lawyers with four or more years of experience, they increasingly intersect with traditional firms. “GLCCs are prompting law firms to adopt greater efficiency and invest in LegalTech,” notes Amar Sinhji, executive director at Khaitan & Co. “While attrition isn’t yet a challenge, competition for top talent will intensify as the ecosystem grows.”
Others believe the relationship will remain complementary. “GLCCs primarily manage compliance and governance for group entities abroad, while Indian law firms advise on domestic matters,” explains Bharath Reddy, partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
Echoing this, Vivek Chandy, joint managing partner at JSA, however, cautions against viewing GLCCs as substitutes.
“While GLCCs can harness technological tools to automate regular and repetitive legal work, it would be difficult and risky to think of it as a substitute for lawyers and law firms. Law firms come with real-time experience of dealing with similar situations and sometimes it is their judgement about a potential legal risk that can be the gamechanger in navigating risks. therefore, GLCC and law firms typically have complementary roles rather than competing roles.”
Overall, the mushrooming of GLCCs has helped create resilience, efficiency, and global serviceability, while enabling generation of employment and offering lawyers career pathways that offer global exposure and professional development.
“Together, GLCCs and law firms are creating an ‘India Think Tank Advantage,’ where global enterprises tap Indian legal talent for scale, quality, and insight,” says Balanand Menon, director at Counselect.
