In-house lawyers are frequently accused of slowing down business momentum with “red flags” and a general inclination toward the word “no.” Although deserved on occasion, this is mostly a misleading perception which attorneys can disprove by following a set of universal principles for demonstrating true value to internal clients. In previous posts, we discussed principle 1: “know your client’s business,” principle 2: “understand the real question being asked,” and principle 3: “stop saying no.” Finally, we will examine the last principle: “take more risk.”

In this 4-part series, we’re discussing the various ways in-house lawyers can add value within an organization. Drawing on 30 years of legal experience, I have identified 4 universal principles that attorneys can follow to demonstrate their true business savvy and legal skills. As previously shared, principle 1: “know your client’s business” and principle 2: “understand the real question being asked” are both critically important practices proven to help attorneys build trust and strengthen client relationships. Next, we will review the third principle: “stop saying ‘no’.”

Let’s dive into the second installment of my 4-part series on how in-house attorneys can demonstrate true value within an organization by following 4 universal principles. In part one, we explored the first, and perhaps most important, principle: know your client’s business. Next, we will review principle 2: “understand the real question being asked.”

The start of a new year is often marked with resolutions to do things differently, whether in our personal or professional lives. However, despite the best of intentions, competing priorities and unexpected events can easily sidetrack these goals. This year, the threat of a recession looms large and is already beginning to impact business across all sectors, including legal services. For in-house legal departments, such predictions will likely create pressure to do more internally with fewer resources, which is why lawyers must double down on setting goals for themselves and following through in order to meet the challenges of the year ahead.

How many times have lawyers heard that:

Resolutions for the new year are typically serious and focused on important areas of our lives, such a health, exercise, career development, and being better organized

Although these are all noble initiatives, laughing more often also can improve the start of the new year. As ee cummings said: “ The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”

For those of you who are fans of Bill Maher or Dua Lipa, the idea of “New Rules” is a familiar one: identifying issues and committing to a new way doing things to improve outcomes. As we near the end to a challenging year, I have been thinking about my personal “rules” for being an effective General Counsel, and how they’ve evolved over time to reflect an ever-changing professional landscape. These “GC rules” have helped me whether working full-time or part-time, internal or external, as a newbie or a lifer. And because the whole purpose of developing rules to live by is to evolve and grow, I hope this list encourages you to reflect on your own rules (and maybe even share them with us!). So here goes, my current Top 10 GC Rules:

Managing risk is an integral part of conducting day-to-day business operations. When business leaders seek legal support, the in-house team should resist the temptation to reflexively say “no” when a course of action appears, at first glance, to pose significant risk. On the flip side, they also should avoid being a “yes-man/woman” to the C-suite. Instead, internal counsel can add significant value by looking beyond legal risk alone to identify, evaluate and manage the company’s total risk profile in a way that helps management achieve legitimate business objectives.