Tips for Leading in the Legal Industry

I've worked in-house for nearly my entire career. Some observations for those who want to be effective in-house lawyers: 1) Stop leading with disclaimers. When executives seek guidance, they're looking for pathways, not barriers. Quantify impacts, propose alternatives, and frame discussions around business outcomes. Your credibility grows when you speak the language of metrics rather than maybe. 2) Legal judgment divorced from business context is inherently flawed. Witness your company's customer interactions firsthand. Observe how products evolve from concept to market. Understand the competitive pressures your colleagues navigate daily. These experiences will reshape your counsel more profoundly than any legal treatise. 3) Business moves at the speed of incomplete information. Develop the courage to make calculated recommendations without perfect clarity. Document your reasoning, advance the objective, and stand behind your judgment. Curiosity matters—but not when it becomes an excuse for inaction. 4) True value comes from integration, not isolation. The most impactful legal professionals don't wait for invitations—they actively engage, anticipate strategic needs, and become indispensable to business outcomes. #legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

I learned more about building a legal career from 75 one‑on‑one conversations than from any course outline or book. Last August I barely had a network in Toronto. So I set a personal challenge: speak with 75 lawyers and record what actually helps a career move forward. I stopped tracking job titles and started tracking sentences that changed how I work. Here are 9 that reshaped my habits. I grouped them so you can act on them right away. 1. Reputation “Reputation compounds. Protect it more than a single win.” If a tactic helps you win once but costs quiet trust, skip it. 2. Communication “Your emails are your reputation.” Write like the other side, a client, or a judge could read it tomorrow. 3. Initiative “Stop waiting to be invited to lead. Lead by organizing the next step.” Own loose ends. Summaries. Debriefs. Next-action lists. People remember who brings order. 4. Relationships “Law looks transactional from the outside. It is relational from the inside.” Track touches. Send follow ups. Remember small facts. That is how work finds you later. 5. Learning “Do a short 'post-mortem' after every file.” What went well. What went poorly. What will I do different next time. 90 seconds. Massive payoff. 6. Focus “Early in your career you think speed is value. Clarity is value.” Pause before you respond. Confirm the real question. Then answer it cleanly. 7. Boundaries “You teach people how to treat your time.” If you always reply in 2 minutes, that becomes the expectation. Set a sustainable rhythm now. 8. Resilience “If you feel like you are drowning, call someone who has already survived that wave.” Isolation makes problems bigger. One candid conversation shrinks them fast. 9. Courtesy “Say thank you to everyone. Even opponents. Especially opponents.” The profession is smaller than it looks. Courtesy is strategic endurance. These are not slogans. They became small daily filters I (try to) use before I hit send, say yes, or move on. Which one hits you hardest right now. Or drop the single best line of advice you have received so another student or junior lawyer can use it. Save this if you want a quick reset checklist later. Share it with someone starting out next month!

Most CEOs replace the General Counsel when Legal becomes a bottleneck. This CEO didn’t replace anyone. She transformed her entire Legal function without changing a single lawyer. When we first spoke, she was direct: “Legal is slowing the business down. Sales avoids them. Deals stall. We’re missing targets because contracts take 45 days.” I met with the GC. The GC wasn’t the problem. He was capable, ethical, and committed — just operating in a system built for caution, not for growth. Instead of “fixing Legal” by restructuring, I advised the CEO to do something far more effective: Reframe how she led Legal. Shift the mission from “protect the company” to “accelerate revenue safely.” Together, we implemented business discipline: • Established clear KPIs: cycle time, risk reduction, customer satisfaction, outside counsel ROI • Deployed technology: CLM + automated approvals • Created dashboards reviewed with finance and operations • Recognized Legal wins — faster deals, cleaner audits, fewer disputes Six months later: Contract cycle reduced from 45 days to 18 days Legal spend down 15% Revenue up 22% Reputation score for Legal up 60 points No personnel changes. No mass rewrites of policy. Just leadership clarity, aligned incentives, and operational rigor. Because the CEO’s job isn’t to know the law — it’s to lead the executive who helps the company win safely. Today’s top GCs don’t simply manage risk. They integrate strategy, regulation, and foresight into how the company operates. And when CEOs lead Legal with the same expectations they apply to Finance, HR, or Operations? Deals move faster. Risk becomes manageable. Trust increases. The culture strengthens. Legal stops being a cost center — and becomes a competitive advantage.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗖𝗘𝗢𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗱. Across searches, the GCs who rise fastest solve business problems first. Legal reasoning follows. The ones who stand out don't lead with credentials. They show how regulatory shifts create opportunity, structure deals that reduce risk while preserving options, or turn compliance requirements into operational advantages. The best GCs see the whole system and understand how regulation, risk, and operations fit together. I've seen this change careers. I once placed a GC who reframed international expansion from a regulatory problem into a growth path. Within six months, she had mapped jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction entry points and opened three markets ahead of schedule. The CEO started routing strategy questions through her first. That's the pattern. CEOs notice when legal leaders make the business move faster, not stall. The GCs who end up with real influence, including a few who later step into CEO roles, don't campaign for status. They demonstrate business judgment with legal as part of the toolkit. Recognition follows contribution. The fastest way to earn a seat at the table is to show you are already thinking in business outcomes. #GeneralCounsel #LegalLeadership #ExecutiveSearch

Still talking like a lawyer... when the CEO needs a leader? Here’s how legal leaders influence at the exec table. If you’re a GC or senior legal leader who: 👉 gets asked to “be more strategic” 👉 feels unheard in exec conversations 👉 knows the answer but struggles to land it This is for you. Because the gap between an excellent lawyer and  a trusted executive partner is rarely legal skill. It’s how you 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞. Here’s how I communicate with CEO-level influence: 1️⃣ Lead with judgment, not detail 2️⃣ Be brief; clarity signals confidence 3️⃣ Translate legal risk to business impact 4️⃣ Stay composed under pressure 5️⃣ Speak in trade-offs, not absolutes 6️⃣ Adjust your message to the audience 7️⃣ Use leadership language, not legalese 8️⃣ Pre-wire decisions for smoother alignment 9️⃣ Show empathy for the CEO’s pressures 🔟 Elevate the conversation beyond legal Executive presence isn’t charisma. It’s disciplined, strategic communication. When legal leaders communicate at CEO altitude: ✅ trust deepens ✅ influence grows ✅ decisions accelerate And your influence becomes indispensable. You might be doing some of these,  but If you aren't doing #9 𝐚𝐧𝐝 #10, you aren't maximizing your executive impact. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫? Or what would you add? 👇 ♻️ Repost to share with your legal team 🔔 Follow Adrian Moffatt for more GC-level insights

"Legal is slowing us down."   That’s what the sales lead said, right in front of the GC.   You could feel the tension in the room.   But here’s the truth:   Legal isn’t the problem.   Miscommunication is.   In high-stakes deals, legal often gets labeled as:   - The blocker   - The bottleneck   - The one who “kills momentum”   And it’s not fair.   Because legal isn’t trying to stop the deal.   They’re trying to protect it.   But if you can’t communicate that clearly, you "will" get sidelined.   Here’s what I teach GCs and legal teams who want to stop being seen as blockers:   1. Lead with the risk trade-off, not the clause.   Don’t say: “We can’t agree to this clause.”     Say: “Here’s the risk this exposes us to—and here’s a safer way to structure it.”   2. Don’t argue legalese. Speak in business terms.    Frame the issue around:   - Deal velocity - Long-term cost, and - Future litigation risk.   Speak their language.   3. Position legal as a deal closer, not a deal killer.   Make it clear: “My goal is to help us land this deal WITHOUT creating a legal mess we’ll clean up in 12 months.”   Legal counsel who master this shift?     They stop fighting for a seat at the table;  And start leading the negotiation.   If you’re tired of being labeled the blocker, let’s change that.   I coach legal leaders to become "deal makers", not speed bumps.   DM me.   ------------------- Hi, I’m Scott Harrison and I help executive and leaders master negotiation & communication in high-pressure, high-stakes situations. - ICF Coach and EQ-i Practitioner - 24 yrs | 19 countries | 150+ clients  - Negotiation | Conflict resolution | Closing deals 📩 DM me or book a discovery call (link in the Featured section)

Yesterday, I joined in a great conversation that illustrated the importance of leadership, consistency, and intentionality in shaping a positive culture at organizations. What a treat to join with Allan Schoenberg of Vinson & Elkins, Natalie Loeb of Loeb Leadership and Michael (Ellenhorn) of Decipher Investigative Intelligence to discuss organizational culture in Practising Law Institute (PLI)’s briefing "Law Firm Culture: How to Develop and Sustain One to Support Stellar Retention, Client Growth and Work Product." If you missed it, here are 9 takeaways. 💼1.  Culture is not something you automate. If you don't pay attention to it, you get the culture you deserve. To have a strong and positive culture, leaders must focus and spend time on creating and maintaining it. 💼2. The truth will emerge. No matter how great your marketing may be, the truth about your culture will come out.  If your culture is not great, don’t expect people to believe a smoke and mirrors PR effort. 💼3. Leaders are role models. Leaders at law firms must demonstrate behaviors that create a positive culture, such as recognizing excellent performance, fostering relationships, and facilitating career development. People who work for you are always watching your behavior. It's not enough just to talk about culture. 💼4. Consistency is key. Building a strong culture requires consistency and intentionality. It's not just an annual award’s ceremony, but an ongoing process threading its way throughout the organization on a daily basis. 💼5. Managing risks is essential. Taking risks, such as hiring lateral partners, can impact firm culture. Leaders must consider the cultural fit of each new hire and the potential impact on the firm's culture. 💼6. Measuring ROl on culture is (somewhat) possible. There are indicators to track such as selection rates. retention rates, and the cost of candidate acquisition. 💼7. Silos impact culture. Breaking down silos within a firm can improve culture and impact business in a positive way. 💼8. You are only as good as your worst acting employee/partner. Keep a high threshold of expectations and if someone falls beneath it, consider if coaching is appropriate. 💼9. Lastly, a quote by Simon Sinek: “Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything for better or for worse.”

The toughest part of being a first-time GC? It’s not the legal work… it’s navigating all the moments with no playbook. I learned this as the first lawyer at a venture fund. The technical legal skills that made me successful at a law firm suddenly felt incomplete. No processes to lean on, no precedent to guide me. Every decision required judgment calls with imperfect information: - Is this risk worth taking? - Build the process now or later? - Speed vs. protection? And when everyone looks to you for answers, where do you turn? This is what pushed me to start building networks with other GCs. Not just for legal expertise, but for those "am I crazy?" moments that every solo GC faces. Having trusted peers to gut-check my thinking made all the difference. They didn't tell me what to do - they helped me pressure-test my own reasoning. Looking back, I see how those solo GC experiences helped shape my approach to leadership: 1. Getting comfortable with uncertainty - perfect information is rare in startups 2. Building relationships before you need them 3. Trusting your judgment, but creating systems to verify it 4. Focusing on teaching others to spot issues, not just solving them yourself The most valuable skill isn't having all the answers - it's knowing how to find them when you need them. You may be the only lawyer in the room, but you don't have to go it alone. Find your trusted circle.

"You're too organized for a lawyer." That's what a client told me last week. What they didn't know? I learned this in the Air Force - where a single misplaced document could ground an entire squadron. As an Information Manager, I was responsible for 300 personnel evaluations. One missing file could: • Delay a promotion • Hold up a transfer • End someone's career That pressure taught me something invaluable: Systems matter. Details matter. Organization isn't just helpful - it's critical. Today, I run multiple M&A deals simultaneously. Each has: • Hundreds of documents • Dozens of moving pieces • Multiple stakeholders • Tight deadlines But while other lawyers get overwhelmed, I stay calm. Because I learned long ago: The best way to handle complexity isn't to work harder. It's to build better systems. That's why my clients' deals close on time. That's why nothing slips through the cracks. That's why I can handle more with less stress. Sometimes the most valuable legal skills aren't learned in law school. They're learned in unexpected places. Like an Air Force base in Kansas. Follow for more insights on deal-making and legal leadership.