Jeff Levinson on ESG
From Be the GC! Virtual Discussion with Jeff Levinson, Vice President and General Counsel, NetScout · · ACC Northeast
“When discussing ESG topics at the executive level, I don't explicitly switch hats between attorney and executive. People understand that when I lead these initiatives, I'm acting as an executive, not just as general counsel, except when legal advice is needed.”
On , Jeff Levinson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary at NETSCOUT SYSTEMS INC, spoke about ESG during Be the GC! Virtual Discussion with Jeff Levinson, Vice President and General Counsel, NetScout on ACC Northeast.
About Jeff Levinson
In a September 2021 discussion hosted by the ACC Northeast chapter, Jeff Levinson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Netscout, spoke about the role of in-house counsel in leading cross-functional initiatives. He cited GDPR compliance and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) reporting as examples where legal teams often need to drive change even when the issues are not strictly legal. Levinson described the need for in-house lawyers to be comfortable with "volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity" and to take initiative by volunteering for new challenges. Levinson discussed his approach to leadership, stating that he aims to empower his team by loading them with responsibility and trusting them to communicate regularly. He noted that good people can be productive working anywhere if trust is earned, and that creating a coherent company culture is a CEO-level decision with input from legal and HR. He also advised his younger self to be more collaborative rather than competitive, saying that collaboration enhances relationships and effectiveness.