"When you walk into that room, how and when you speak can be as important as the words you speak. I have learned this the hard way and watched others learn it too. The instinct is to demonstrate value immediately - to prove you belong there, to show you understand the gravity of the situation, to fill the silence with analysis - but that instinct can work against you."
"Your Legal Perspective Is Not The Only Perspective That Matters This is hard for lawyers to accept. We are trained to spot issues, flag risks, and protect the organization. That is our job, but in a room full of people trying to solve a problem, legal risk is one consideration among many. There are operational realities, financial constraints, reputational concerns, and human factors that may not show up in a legal memo."
In-house lawyers are often called in when problems arise and must decide how and when to speak. Immediate attempts to demonstrate value by analyzing or filling silence can undermine effectiveness. Legal perspectives are one consideration among operational realities, financial constraints, reputational concerns, and human factors. Allowing options and business views to surface before assessing legal implications facilitates problem-solving and collaboration. Counsel should speak in calm, low tones, answer the specific question, and avoid overexplaining or repeating information. Concise, confident contributions that help the team think through options preserve credibility and make legal counsel more welcome at the table.
Read at Above the Law
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