IN-HOUSE INSIGHTS: Treat My Colleagues with Respect

I work with a lot of different outside counsel. Some from large, global firms. Some sole practitioners. The best of these lawyers never fail to treat my colleagues with respect. I can buy the technical legal expertise I need, however complex or esoteric. Applying that expertise with optimal effect requires wisdom and connection. Wisdom to see the big picture with foresight. Connection to ensure that petty frictions don’t strain the relationship unnecessarily and create barriers to adoption. On this latter point, how an outside lawyer treats my colleagues matters. An outside lawyer should never put me in a position where I am answering for his bad or rude behavior toward my colleagues. “He’s a jerk, but he’s our jerk,” is not where I want to be.

When an outside lawyer treats my colleagues with respect, he makes my job easier. He is a pleasure to work with. My colleagues are more likely to take his calls when they come in or return them quickly if they cannot take them right away. He finds that people want to help him and don’t avoid interactions with him or shunt him to others in the organization. All of these things add up to more efficient relationship, one that delivers meaningful results more quickly and with less aggravation and less expense.

Of course, the client isn’t always right and some clients are notoriously difficult. Outside counsel may well find some in the client’s organization to be unresponsive, dilatory, or unhelpful. When that happens, I prefer that outside counsel raise the issue first with me, the in-house lawyer. Frequently, an outside lawyer’s relationship to a client is limited to a specific matter or type of matter. As such, his view into the client’s world provides only a limited glimpse into what the client representative is dealing with. There may be a reason for the problem that I can address one-on-one with my colleague. Maybe he is dealing with family issue and is having a difficult time concentrating. Maybe his boss has prioritized other work ahead of your needs. Maybe he simply finds the legal support work boring and can’t get spun up to get it done. Maybe he doesn’t understand what you need but is too embarrassed to ask. Maybe he hates lawyers and the legal process. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Rather than letting the situation create and build friction, I prefer that outside counsel work through me to break the logjam.

I studied civil engineering before I went to law school. Deep down, I’m a builder. The building that I do as a lawyer is legal, organizational, and relational. And I love all of it. But I love the relational building most. By relational, I mean the relationship bridges that I build and maintain within my company. These are crucial to my success. They allow me to be effective as a professional. They allow me to enjoy my colleagues. They let us celebrate our successes and help us weather the storms. Unlike physical bridges that are built on highly engineered physical foundations, relational bridges are far less formulaic. More art than science, they are a mixture of goodwill, human nature, kindness, candor, sacrifice, and respect. They can be messy and frustrating and, at the same time, are among the most important and rewarding relationships in my life outside of family. For these reasons, I protect these relationships fiercely and an important part of that is my choice to work with outside counsel who unfailingly treat my colleagues with respect.

About the Author. Since 2013, Mr. Anderson has been General Counsel for Robindale Energy Services, Inc. and its associated companies. Robindale is a privately-held diversified energy company. Mr. Anderson takes a hands-on approach to directing and executing the legal function, including managing outside litigation, negotiating domestic and international commercial agreements, and supporting Robinale’s robust M&A and corporate finance efforts. He lectures regularly on topics related to business ethics, soft skills, and various dimensions of the in-house counsel and outside counsel relationship. Robindale is headquartered in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.