The perception of in-house counsel is not dissimilar from how people view lawyers in private practice, but there are significant differences. And both in-house counsel and private practice lawyers should strive to be seen as proactive, value-added and nimble members of the greater client team. Getting there often requires change, and lawyers are notoriously resistant to change (cough: Legal Tech). Incremental change can be the best way to start. By slowly implementing changes, your client teams will gradually notice changes in legal services delivery and the stature of the law department within the organization will rise. Remember, your organization is your customer, and serving them well will generate dividends for years to come. Read on for more tips from Allison Rosner of MLA Global:
“Historically, in-house corporate legal teams have unfortunately been saddled with a bad guy reputation of sorts. At best, the legal department has been viewed as a mandatory support function tasked with helping the organization temper risk. At worst, it’s been seen as a cost center and bureaucratic roadblock that stifles creativity and jams up the sales and marketing pipeline. However, during the pandemic, the tide started to turn for corporate in-house legal departments. In large part, this was driven by the increased responsibility taken on by general counsel, who tackled challenges far beyond the legal realm — including employment, health and safety, risk analysis and more — and in doing so, led the charge in demonstrating the legal department’s mission-critical value. Now, there’s an opportunity for the legal department to continue to capitalize on that momentum. Your legal team has the potential to be a generator of revenue and a stronger, more strategic ally and partner to your business clients. This is an important goal to focus on for a number of reasons: It can improve the quality of your team’s work; keep your top talent engaged, productive and happy, which is key to retaining them in the long term; and demonstrate your team’s alignment with the organization’s growth trajectory and strategic objectives.”
Source: How To Improve The Perception Of In-House Counsel via MLA Global