Jeffrey Pomeranz

Every attorney has a:

- College degree
- Law degree
- Bar card

None of this impresses a CEO. It’s the bare minimum. It’s a ticket to see the movie.

The best thing you can do, especially as a new attorney, is to learn the business.

Learn about the non-legal stuff. The operations. The sales process. The money.

A direct correlation exists between your understanding of the business and the efficacy of your counsel.

#generalcounsel

Unwritten rule: attorneys don’t have to be the smartest person in the room.

Attorneys should be the most prepared. And organized. Maybe even the most responsive. Certainly the most willing to take an action item.

But not the smartest.

This shift in mindset will improve how you lawyer. You’ll ask more questions. Without the fear of it compromising how you are perceived. And in doing so, you’re counsel will better align with the client’s objectives.

A little humility is far better than a lot of pride.

#lawyer #generalcounsel

A law degree doesn’t impress CEOs. But this does:

Understanding the business
Giving actionable advice
Not over-lawyering
Using plain English

CEOs know that you have a JD and passed the bar. That’s the minimum. It’s the price of admission.

But you won’t have a seat at the table until you are viewed as a partner to the business. And that begins with speaking the same language.

#ceo #law #attorney