In the corporate world circa 2009, does anyone still communicate by telephone? Do business people engage in face-to-face discussions anymore? Do corporate employees still circulate written memoranda when communicating with other employees?
For all practical purposes, e-mail has replaced the traditional forms of internal communication. While e-mail has its advantages, it is highly questionable whether it has improved the level of dialogue necessary for the business team’s success. For in-house counsel, reliance on e-mail as the sole means of communication with the corporate clients may lead to advising them without a full grasp of the facts necessary to form an opinion. Even worse, it perpetuates the isolation from the business team that plagues many in-house counsel.
