How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

Choosing external lawyers who align with your company’s values is very important. There are many good external lawyers, but you can find an excellent external lawyer if you dedicate some time to the effort. You can maximize the strength of that external lawyer’s value proposition by ensuring they are aligned with your company’s values. In my opinion, this alignment means the lawyer understands your industry, your company, and your company’s values, management, and employees.

Additionally, aligned lawyers are more inclined to go above and beyond their representation. I have found that aligned external counsel will often send me articles on newrelevant laws, webinars or articles applicable to my company’s business.

Aligned external counsel will also take a holistic approach to offering their services, which allows them the freedom to fully embrace the relationship and become a powerful partner and source of information. An aligned external counsel can more easily and quickly assess events from a global view as well as from a specific view more than a non-aligned external lawyer.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

Building strong relationships is essential. Strong relationships are built on trust. A key to building this trust is getting to know your colleagues. Schedule an introductory meeting with key personnel who you know you will work with on a regular basis. If you don’t know who you may be working with on a regular basis, ask your manager and others you may already know in the company. Once you meet with key personnel, ask them who else they think you should meet with. While meeting with these business partners, authenticity will go a long way. Sharing some personal stories, fun facts, and hobbies goes a long way to building relationships.

Let colleagues and partners know you are not a deal killer, but rather that your focus is to support them and the company. Make it clear that you are there for them and that your goal is to find workable solutions. Ask them what they want from you. Make it an honest, but fun discussion. Let your partner do more of the talking and make sure to truly listen to best understand who they are and what they want. Treat everyone in the company equally well. First, it’s the right thing to do, but second, you never know when you may need someone’s helpful guidance and advice.

Lastly, make sure that your relationships are mutual. Building strong relationships allows you and the in-house counsel team to better understand what the company does, like the sale of a product or a service, but also, allows your colleagues and partners to better understand how the in-house counsel team can provide support.