Since managers and lawyers approach problems with disparate mind-sets, can they find a common language?
Top management needs to place a higher value on legal literacy. Training and incentives are important. Potential problem areas can vary depending on industry and functional role, but they are easily recognizable if managers learn where the legal lines are drawn. Knowing when to ask for legal help and being able to process that help effectively are teachable managerial skills. Managers also need to understand the importance of keeping their lawyers in the loop, not just on discrete legal queries but on an ongoing basis. Lawyers need to have enough business savvy so they can actively participate in a dialogue. When an attorney is asked to draft a contract, he or she should have enough knowledge about the broader business context to speak up if the rationale behind the deal seems flawed. Similarly, if a lawyer offers a legal opinion that is too narrowly defined, the manager needs to press him or her on the broader implications of that opinion. We can’t afford the separation of business an
