Blake E. Garcia, PhD

Senior Director of Research and Business Intelligence at Association of Corporate Counsel

Dr. Blake Garcia is the Senior Director of Research and Business Intelligence at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), where he spearheads the growth and management of ACC’s research department. Over the past 10 years, Dr. Garcia has transformed ACC’s research capabilities from a limited member surveying unit into a multifaceted, full-service data hub that empowers the in-house legal community. He has led numerous high-impact international surveys and developed data-driven resources, products, and services that equip in-house counsel and legal operations professionals with the insights they need to make strategic business decisions.

Dr. Garcia has published several peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals applying statistical and experimental methodologies and has taught several college courses on quantitative research in the social sciences. He has a Ph.D. in political science from Texas A&M University and a B.A. in international politics from The Pennsylvania State University.

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My Articles

Law Department Management

Technology, Privacy, and eCommerce

The Transparency Gap: In-house Counsel Lack Clarity on Law Firms’ AI Use

New survey results, produced by ACC in partnership with Everlaw, highlight that GenAI is already reshaping the client-firm dynamic, but a “transparency gap” threatens to stall progress and obscure opportunities for efficiency and cost savings.

Law Department Management

Skills and Professional Development

Does Your Background Pay Off? How Law School, Firm Experience, and Specialization Impact In-house Compensation

From law school prestige to practice area expertise, ACC’s 2025 Law Department Compensation Survey reveals the background factors that shape earning potential for in-house counsel.

Law Department Management

The Elusive Cost Savings of Insourcing Legal Work

ACC’s new research examines the simplistic notion that “more in-house equals more savings” across the board. By analyzing a robust dataset from hundreds of corporate law departments, we’ve uncovered a nuanced reality that demands attention.

Interviews and Profiles

Law Department Management

Mastering the Make vs. Buy Equation for Optimal Legal Performance

Utilizing ACC’s benchmarking survey data and the Smarter Law Solutions advisory partnership, Avaloq’s Group General Counsel Hubert Gmünder found concrete evidence of the impactful connection between the department’s “make vs. buy” balance and internal client satisfaction. Learn more about how Gmünder shaped Avaloq’s high-performing legal department.

illustration of gold coin stacks of different heights with figures of people atop

Skills and Professional Development

Top 5 Findings from the 2022 Law Department Compensation Survey

ACC’s annual law department compensation report has been released — where do you fall? There are many surprises, including the key skills needed to succeed. #ACCDocket #salaries #salary #HR #HumanResources

puzzle with different illustrations on each such as money bags, bar chart showing increases, hands shaking, with one missing piece, next to it person in suit, head covered by the missing piece with a lightbulb symbolizing idea

Compliance and Ethics

Skills and Professional Development

Corporate, Securities, and Governance

CLO Roles: From Lawyer to Key Business Leader

Most lawyers say they are now a constant part of the C-suite. Learn more and participate in the ACC 2023 Chief Legal Officers Survey.
ACCDocket #legaloperations #inhousecounsel #generalcounsel #ESG #EnvironmentalSocialGovernance #compliance #humanresources #HR

Law Department Management

Top 5 Findings From the 2022 Law Department Management Benchmarking Survey

Numerous changes in legal operations were revealed in a survey of more than 400 legal departments in the third edition of the ACC annual Law Department Management Benchmarking Report released with Major, Lindsey & Africa. #ACCDocket #ACCBenchmarking #legaloperations #legalops

3-D cybersecurity meta image over tablet

Compliance and Ethics

Law Department Management

Technology, Privacy, and eCommerce

In-house Legal's Expanding Role in Cybersecurity

The risks to an organization from a cyber breach could be deadening — be a part of the movement to move lawyers toward overseeing their companies’ IT security. #ACCDocket #cybersecurity #internetsecurity #IT

Community

Employment and Labor

Law Department Management

Reliable Compensation Data for In-house Legal Professionals

ACC and Empsight International LLC partner on an annual compensation survey to offer high-quality compensation data for in-house legal professionals. Participate in the 2022 survey! #inhousecounsel #compensationdata #benchmarking

Law Department Management

Strong Legal Entity Management Practices Lead to Better Business

Learn more about legal entity management in the report, An Inside Look at Legal Entity Management Practices, which ACC recently published in collaboration with Deloitte Tax LLP. #ACCResearch

Law Department Management

ACC Law Department Management Benchmarking Data

High-quality legal department metrics can be hard to find and expensive, so ACC Research partners with Major, Lindsey & Africa to conduct an annual survey and report. Participate in the ACC 2022 Law Department Management Benchmarking Survey today and receive a detailed report. #ACCDocket #ACCBenchmarking

Law Department Management

Technology, Privacy, and eCommerce

Privacy Professionals Are on the Rise

Using ACC survey data, Senior Director Blake Garcia uncovers why privacy professionals are on the rise in this latest data-driven insights article. #ACCDocket #ACCResearch

Law Department Management

The State of the Legal Operations Role in Legal Departments

Based on ACC survey data, this article provides a high-level analysis of the state of legal operations by covering the extent to which departments are employing legal operations staff, examining at what point they tend to do so, as well as sharing salary data for these professionals. #ACCDocket #ACCResearch