Rees Morrison has consulted to more than 250 law departments (and several law firms) over 22 years to help them better manage themselves and their outside counsel. For more, visit reesmorrison.com, email me, or call 973.568.9110.

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A disappointing bit of advice: Keep lawyers away during gut-wrenching decisions

A discouraging view about lawyers and their win-lose mentality is expressed in the Harv. Bus. Rev., Vol. 86, May 2008 at 82. In the context of “competitive arousal” that afflicts executives during high-stakes, time pressured and publicized deals, the author disparages resort to lawyers. After all, “most of them are trained to see conflicts and competitions in terms of right (who deserves to win?) and wrong (who deserves to lose?).”

This attitude broadsides in-house counsel who seek a place at the decision table for important corporate deals. Sadly, the animus against attorneys lurks just below the surface of many senior executives.

Posted on May 29, 2008 at 10:13 AM in Clients | Permalink

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