Burning Issue: Communicate the Right Way to Provide Value

Let’s be honest, both sides of the service delivery coin talk like lawyers and think like lawyers – because well, they are lawyers. However, you know that business leaders are not a fan of legal jargon, they just want a clear answer. You as in-house counsel have already learned to talk like a business leader and in turn, you need your outside counsel to communicate in the same way. Just give you the answer, and not a 20 page memo saying, “on the one hand.” The lawyer in you might care about that, but the business certainly does not. Outside counsel need to think of you as an extension of the business and provide you with actionable information and direction you can then take to your CEO. By doing that, they can get to be viewed by you as a business partner, someone who speaks their language, isn’t a roadblock, and helps you get things done. That is providing real value.