Comments on: Breaking Down The Silos That Separate Business People And Lawyers

By: Three Questions To Ask Your Lawyer About Business Strategy

Three Questions To Ask Your Lawyer About Business Strategy — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:46:02 +0000

[...] Because of this connection between legal strategy and business strategy, you should ask your lawyer these three questions: [...]

By: Business Strategy Formulation

Business Strategy Formulation — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:50:34 +0000

[...] career help … Erp business analyisis case study Business classes: crossing over to the dark side. Breaking down the silos that separate business people and lawyers Data arteries – enabling business strategy through information … Balanced scorecard: better [...]

By: Doug Park

Doug Park — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:57:23 +0000

Hi Audrey, Thanks for your perspective. Unfortunately, business too often sees legal as a cost center, not a source of value. The adversarial relationship between lawyers and clients that you mention is a big problem. Billing is only part of the problem. A bigger problem is business people's lack of confidence in the business acumen of lawyers. Practicing business transactions or corporate law does not necessarily teach lawyers about strategy formulation and execution, organizational behavior, and leadership imperatives. That is why law firms and corporations increasingly want their attorneys to formally learn the fundamentals of business. As I wrote in earlier post, What Clients Want From Their Lawyers: Good Business Strategy Advice, companies want lawyers who understand and can contribute to business strategy. How can lawyers contribute to business strategy? I have argued that a combined Strategy, Law, and Organization lens better solves business and legal problems than any one of these approaches alone. Doug

By: Audrey Roth

Audrey Roth — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:30:05 +0000

I couldn’t agree more, Doug. I was in major law firms for 18 years, including many as the head of a venture capital practice group. The law firm model makes it impossible to integrate the silos, in my opinion (not a legal opinion, which would include at least five pages of disclaimers, assumptions and other drivel…), because including the lawyer in business discussions just costs too much on an hourly basis. I left big firm life five years ago and started a practice offering outsourced part-time general counsel services. No billable hours, and my clients now feel free to include me in strategy meetings, operations meetings, without worrying about the meter ticking. As a result, I can provide guidance on a proactive basis, enjoy my work more, be more value-added, and be viewed as part of the business team. I couldn’t be happier, and I believe my clients are as well.

The legal system is so used to adversarial relationships that we’ve carried them into our relations with clients. All you lawyers out there–when was the last time you DIDN’T have to have one of those painful discussions with your clients about bills? How can your client see you as a member of the team when what you’re doing is increasing their burn rate? Businesses have been crying out for alternative business models for the legal profession, and they’re painfully slow in coming. I hope more postings like yours will help.

Audrey Roth

By: Doug Park

Doug Park — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:39:54 +0000

Hi Dan,

Thanks for reading and for your feedback. You make excellent points. Both business people and lawyers should seek a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Working at this intersection will promote organizational goals.

However, while lawyers could benefit from education and training in business and management, so could business people benefit from a stronger grasp of how the law can help companies improve their effectiveness.

Specific areas where merging business and legal will reap great benefits include:

Business strategy formulation and implementation
Intellectual property strategy
Corporate governance
Risk optimization
International management

I will continue to offer my thoughts on how merging business and law can result in better results for everyone.

Doug