Louis Lehot Publishes on Strategic Mandates for Silicon Valley General Counsel

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Louis Lehot authored The Recorder article, “What Silicon Valley General Counsel Must Do to Keep Their Companies Competitive,” exploring how in‑house legal leaders can help their companies maintain a competitive edge in global markets despite operating in a more fragmented environment.

Lehot outlines the competitive landscape facing Silicon Valley technology companies relative to global rivals, including jurisdictions that benefit from state‑backed capital, long‑horizon investment strategies, targeted R&D funding, and deliberate regulatory frameworks. In contrast, Lehot writes, U.S. companies operate largely without these advantages, requiring general counsel to think beyond traditional legal boundaries.

Among his recommendations, Lehot advises GCs to:

• Structure capital strategies for scaling without government support, including creative financing vehicles and targeting underutilized federal and state incentives.
• Compete in the talent market by building global talent networks, crafting equity programs for retention, and protecting IP in distributed teams.
• Create infrastructure advantages with internal governance frameworks, supply chain resilience strategies, and cybersecurity programs that exceed baseline standards.
• Leverage regulatory arbitrage and partnerships to access new markets, share risk, and accelerate innovation without waiting for U.S. policy alignment.

Lehot emphasizes that in the current environment, legal strategy is competitive strategy, urging in‑house counsel to adopt a proactive role in shaping company growth and resilience against state‑backed global competitors.