It does not matter how large or small your business may be, using a team approach may enhance your business and ultimately increase your bottom line.  For several years, I had the great privilege of working as General Counsel to a large organization. In that capacity, I worked directly with the board of directors and the balance of the individuals in the C-Suite to ensure that the needs of the business were comprehensively addressed.

Often times, lawyers are seen as arrogant mavericks – hard to work with; unwilling to listen to others; singular in their scope.  I have found that a team approach works best for my clients. As such, I regularly work with the talent within an organization (CEO; CFO; HR; etc.) as well as working with outside consultants (CPA; Insurance; Realtor; etc.).  Utilizing a team approach enables businesses to benefit from the talent and experience of multiple disciplines and eliminate blind spots.

I will give you an example of how the team approach has worked for a client:

I have a client who is currently seeking to expand operations.  In so doing, the client needed to secure additional commercial space.  I have had the privilege of working with the client’s CFO and CPA in determining that buying a building is what is best in this circumstance.  By working with the financial professionals, we were able to ensure that all of the documents required by the lender were prepared to avoid any delay in financing.  

I have also had the privilege of working with a commercial realtor in negotiating the best terms for purchase of the building and ensuring that all of the risks associated with that purchase are mitigated.  Ultimately, the client was able to acquire the building and increase operations well within the timeline contemplated. This resulted in minimizing additional expense to the client and allowing the client to dedicate more time and resources to the expansion.

Building internal and external teams allows a business to mine the talent of many for its own benefit.  This will enable the business to move more agilely and benefit from more opportunities.  Having your business lawyer as a part of the team approach enhances the benefits while mitigating the risks of both action and inaction.  Not all lawyers work well in this environment. However, if the ultimate goal is to benefit the business, your attorney should adapt to your needs.