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In industries where scrutiny never lets up, decisions matter long before they reach the public. Legal teams in these settings are not on the sidelines; they are at the core, guiding direction, shaping choices, and owning both risk and results. At SIG SAUER, Laurence A. Grayer (‘Larry’), Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, embraces that responsibility with clarity and consistency. “What I do is I focus on the work. I focus on the legal issues,” he explains.
That approach shapes how Larry operates. It is the foundation of a career that spans sectors and organizations, all while keeping a clear focus. In a job that demands presence, judgment, and adaptability, Larry has built a model in which legal does not wait for questions. It moves with the business.
Across environments
Larry’s in-house career path was not linear. He started in-house at the international headquarters for a labor union and then moved to government contracting with DynCorp International, guiding defense and state department contracts. Larry again served as a General Counsel for Creative Associates International focusing primarily on government contracts for humanitarian work, before advancing into global firearms and back into the defense sector. Each move placed him in a new setting with different stakeholders, priorities, and pressures.
Yet moving between these settings never forced him to change his core approach. For Larry, the work stays constant. “The legal issues and process are going to be the same,” he points out. That belief defines his view of the in-house lawyer’s role. He does not tie the job to a specific industry or mission. Instead, he links it to core responsibilities: understand the issue, assess the risk, and guide the path forward.
That discipline let him move between very different organizations without losing direction. It has also given him insight into how different teams operate. Through that experience, he has observed how decisions are made, how leaders respond under pressure, and how legal advice is received in different settings. Those observations now inform how he leads at SIG SAUER, where decision-making pace and oversight intensity demand both speed and accuracy.
Compliance in practice
At SIG SAUER, compliance is not an afterthought. It is woven into the company’s operations from the start. Larry’s response is to build structure first. “We have really good systems and processes in place to make sure that we are fully compliant at all times,” he adds.
The approach is methodical. Teams review work, verify outcomes, and maintain consistent standards. “We are checking, we are double-checking,” Larry adds. For him, compliance forms the base. From there, legal guides decisions, provides options, and helps the business move forward. To make this happen, Larry embeds lawyers directly with business units, putting them in rooms where decisions are made. “That way you will hear things early on,” he notes.
Structured communication reinforces that proximity. He schedules regular check-ins across the business, creating space for conversations that might not happen otherwise. “If you have something scheduled, people are more likely to tell you about a problem,” he shares.
He matches that steady cadence with visibility. Legal is not a last stop. It is present and accessible from start to finish. “There will never be a day when there will not be a lawyer in the office,” Larry affirms. Over time, that blend of access and consistency changes how people view the law. Legal shifts from gatekeeper to problem-solver. “They need to see that was a really helpful solution,” Larry says. As trust grows, so does engagement. Teams reach out earlier. Questions surface before decisions are finalized. Legal advice moves alongside the business, not after it.
Set the standard
Larry brings the same intentional approach to building and leading his team, starting with hiring. He looks for people who understand that the role does not end with answering a question. “Half the job is answering the legal question. The other more important part is to help the company achieve its goals by reducing or eliminating the risk,” he explains.
That expectation carries through into how he defines performance. The value lies in what happens next and how that advice moves the business forward. If that step is missing, he is direct. “A successful career must include a more fulsome and solutions-oriented legal approach,” he asserts. Each lawyer is responsible for a specific area of the business. They attend meetings, engage with teams, and stay close to decision-making. The benefit is that it keeps them close to decision-making before it happens.
Communication supports this model. Larry holds regular meetings to review work, stress-test thinking, and push for better outcomes. He uses these sessions to challenge thinking and improve results. “Did you ever think about doing this? Have you followed up?” he inquires. The goal is to close the gap between advice and outcome. The work does not end with an answer. It continues until the issue is resolved in a way that supports the business.
He has built and expanded a legal team at SIG SAUER that is world class and ready for any challenge. “I’m so proud of the Legal Department, what we have accomplished, how we provide legal advice and counsel across the business, and how we remain ready to tackle any challenge,” says Larry.
Larry prioritizes connection within the team. Alongside structured meetings, he creates opportunities for the group to spend time together outside of daily work. “We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries,” he mentions. These efforts build familiarity and trust, strengthening team collaboration.
The role goes beyond legal analysis. Many conversations cover broader topics. “Half the questions you get may not be legal questions,” Larry remarks. That does not change the response. The team engages in those discussions, offering perspective and helping shape decisions in real time.
Track and adapt
Not everything in law is easy to measure. Licenses secured and disputes resolved provide clear evidence; culture and trust do not. To bridge that gap, Larry blends measurable data with direct feedback. He tracks what he can and relies on direct input for what cannot be captured in metrics. “Is there anything else we could be doing better?” he always asks. However, the manner in which he responds to that feedback matters just as much. “You must never get defensive,” he insists.
At SIG SAUER, surveys offer a clear view of the team’s performance. They capture how teams experience legal support and whether it meets their needs. Larry reviews the results and adjusts. “I take the results seriously, and I adapt,” he affirms. Internally, the same principle applies – feedback reshapes communication, structure, and priorities. The focus stays on continuous improvement.
Looking ahead, Larry plans to keep refining the model. He highlights ongoing improvements in process, communication, and measurements to stay aligned with the business.
Away from work, the tempo shifts. Fishing helps him reset. “I love to go fishing,” he admits. Family time anchors his off-hours, too. Even during the busiest weeks, he confides, “We always squeeze some time in.”
But the role never goes quietly. Something can always come up. “You always have to be ready,” he affirms. It is the nature of the role; legal, compliance, and business decisions do not take breaks. Neither does he.
