WHAT WE DO
HOW WE WORK
ELD International LLC provides focused strategic advice and execution to compete more successfully in the global legal world. ELD International takes a project approach, often working with the client’s internal teams and their partners.
Our two decades of work with corporate legal and compliance functions worldwide informs everything we do. Clients value our in-depth knowledge of how both corporate legal teams and law firms function. ELD International maintains a vast network of relationships with in-house leaders.
In the more than two decades since its founding, ELD International has completed strategic projects in more than 30 countries. Our clients are Global 1000 companies, major financial institutions, premier global and regional law firms, legal networks, as well as legal publishers, diverse legal service providers and legal industry trade associations worldwide.
Inside and outside counsel met in London to celebrate ELD International’s 15th anniversary and Leigh Dance’s book, Bright Ideas.
ELD International operates from offices in the US and Europe, and client projects usually extend across multiple countries worldwide. ELD International’s success revolves around the ability to maintain trusted client relationships, work well remotely and collaborate, leveraging the client’s available internal resources.
Our Europe base was Rome for 15 years, and since 2010 is Brussels. Our headquarters is New York.
“Ahead of the Game: The Visionary Legal/Compliance Leader,” a recent Global Counsel Leaders Circle conference, provoked lively discussions.
In 2018, ELD International began a partnership with Right Hat, a premier strategic communications firm. Right Hat brings its best-in-class design and execution to ELD International’s work with corporate legal teams, to effectively communicate both strategy and performance. For more information click here.
LEADERSHIP
E. Leigh Dance
Corporate legal and compliance leaders turn to Leigh to help them improve performance, develop strategy, promote the value of legal/compliance, advocate for their business, lead remote global teams, organize their retreats and assist with particular needs.
Leigh is known for her in-depth international experience, and her unique understanding of both buyers and sellers of legal services globally. Her entire career experience is multinational, including more than 20 years living and working in both the US and Europe. Leigh speaks English, French and Italian.
Law firms retain Leigh and ELD International to: improve strategies and actions in select groups and geographic markets; organize client-facing programs to raise profile and build relationships with legal services buyers; and conduct research with buyers worldwide, to improve marketing and BD initiatives.
Executive Director of the exclusive roundtable group, Global Counsel Leaders Circle, Leigh develops and moderates many of the Global Counsel Leaders programs, including those of the prestigious Leaders Circle. From 1999-2009, LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell (LNMH) retained Leigh to organize and facilitate Counsel to Counsel: A Forum on Best Practices in Delivering Corporate Legal Services, an initiative she co-founded. She has participated in hundreds of corporate counsel roundtables in 23 countries on all continents.
Building on a financial services and public policy background, Leigh was a VP at JP Morgan Chase for 7 years, where she had management and director assignment in product management, marketing, business development and new business launches, across 20 countries.
A recognized thought leader, her articles on the role of the General Counsel, legal risk, regulatory challenges, governance and compliance have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, American Lawyer, Legal Week and other publications. Since 2015, she has been the Global In-House columnist for ALM’s Corporate Counsel. Leigh’s book BRIGHT IDEAS: INSIGHTS FROM LEGAL LUMINARIES WORLDWIDE, a collection of essays, is available on Amazon.
Leigh has an MBA (high honors) in International Management and a BA, International Relations (honors). In 2012, she was inducted as a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management and in 2016, she was a judge in the British Legal Awards.