House Rules
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In-House Counsel
House Rules: State of the Union
February 1, 2012 is a singularly important day to Rush geeks (like me). 2112, get it? I’ve been drumming for over 30 years, and was brought up on trying to play along with Mr. Peart. While I succeeded somewhat in gaining enough chops to play Moving Pictures, Side 1 (back when they had albums, which […] -
In-House Counsel, Technology
House Rules: They Don’t Realize What They Have
This column will be published the day our year-end numbers are made public. Word on the street (and the Street) is that we should beat expectations. If true, that would be a very good thing. This isn’t inside information; it’s been opined and published in several national media outlets, and in any event, I am […] - Sponsored
Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar on April 10th, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm. -
In-House Counsel
House Rules: Responding to Guesty
I very much appreciate reader feedback on my columns, whether received via email or in the comments. Here’s one of the better critiques from the comments section last week, from “Guesty”: “David — you need to decide what you’re trying to accomplish with this column rather than just describing negotiating a form contract with a […]
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Contracts, In-House Counsel, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Risk / Reward
I’m writing this wearing my new bifocals. They take some getting used to after years of regular glasses and contacts. But, after watching me examine small print like I was Mr. Magoo, my wife convinced me that it was time to take a symbolic plunge toward middle age. I admit to no small amount of […] -
In-House Counsel
House Rules: Positioning Yourself As a Value Add
2012. How many times will some DJ play “(It’s the) End of the World” by R.E.M over the course of the next year? I’d wager about as many times as I was told ad nauseam (pun intended) that a proper Christmas gift is a Lexus (read: upscale Toyota) over the course of the Christmas break. […] -
Holidays and Seasons, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Travel / Vacation
House Rules: Year-End Press
In-house columnist David Mowry mentioned in a past column that the year-end press can lead to some very interesting requests: field reps asking for things that they (should) know to be questionable ethically, absurd customer demands (funny thing how the customers know it’s year-end and try to use that leverage), and the like. It is times such as these, when the pressure is on to assist the Field achieve their targets, that in-house attorneys must be most vigilant in their duty to the corporation.... -
Crime, Holidays and Seasons, In-House Counsel, Politics, Violence
House Rules: Holidays, Half Empty - Half Full
Disclaimer: I know this is usually an in-house column with tips and tidbits about being a corporate attorney, but there have already been numerous columns about how to network (or not) through the holidays, how to prepare for the next billable year, and how to act at a party. I’m using today’s column to very […] -
Contracts, In-House Counsel, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Termination Clauses, Remedies, and Other Things to Argue About Before Christmas
Admittedly, I take on some large issues in this column. But this is neither a treatise on contract law, nor the forum to attempt one. I am simply attempting to give some pointers for negotiating commercial contracts. I do very much appreciate the emails that I receive that suggest where I missed some salient information, […] - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
In-House Counsel, Insurance, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Insurance, LoL, and Indemnity, Redux
I wrote about these contractual issues the week before Thanksgiving. I received so many emails that I thought it best to flesh these topics out a bit more. Also, some of these headings are from the anonymous “comments” section on this site, so I can’t attribute them (and I’ve also edited them for language). 1) […] -
Banking Law, Contracts, Health Care / Medicine, In-House Counsel, Practice Pointers, Privacy
House Rules: HIPAA and GLBA and Indemnity, Oh My!
Caveat: I did not write the following dialogue. It is from the “comments” section of one of my columns where I mentioned I’d be writing about HIPAA and GLBA. Unfortunately, I cannot attribute the comments to the persons who wrote them, as they are anonymous; however they are quite apropos of today’s subject: 1) “I […] -
Deaths, In-House Counsel
House Rules: Requiem
A close friend’s father passed away. He was 71, a retired school teacher and a great man. A man dying at 71 used to seem far off in my comprehension of time, but as I get older, it’s really not. I learned of his death the day after ATL had posted a story about a […] -
In-House Counsel, Insurance, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Insurance, LoL, Indemnity, and Other Dirty Words
So, the Customer wants you to take on unlimited liability for breach of confidentiality, indemnify (and hold harmless) for any and all bad acts of your employees, and to carry a multi-million dollar insurance policy. What do you do? First, begin by triaging these from simplest to more complicated. During a negotiation it can be […] -
Conferences / Symposia, General Counsel, In-House Counsel, Travel / Vacation
House Rules: The Mile-High Club
I recently spent a week in Denver over two days (“ba dum bum”). The day I arrived, the temperature hit a record high of 80 degrees, and it snowed several inches the next evening. I was supposed to be attending (and enjoying) the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Annual Meeting, but instead, I was frantically trying […]
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar on April 10th, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm.
Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so…
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In-House Counsel
House Rules: Now What? Learning the In-House Ropes
Now what? You’re sitting in your new office, with a blank stare out the window, and like Redford in “The Candidate” you say: “Now what?” Your next move largely depends on the size of your in-house department. Departments with six or fewer attorneys make up approximately 60% of in-house legal offices. Most in-house lawyers therefore […] -
In-House Counsel, Job Searches, Money
House Rules: In-House for Life?
So you’ve decided to take the plunge in-house. You have likely had to accept a pay cut. Not the worst thing to have happen, given that you’re about to get your life back. But most in-house counsel do not make the mid-six figure salaries of senior associates, or junior partners.... -
Associate Advice, Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Partner Issues
House Rules: How To Get an In-House Lawyer's Attention
In this week's edition of House Rules, in-house columnist David Mowry lets our readers know how to get his attention for all of the right (and all of the wrong) reasons.... -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Litigators
House Rules: Tips for Picking Outside Counsel
I received a fair amount of mail this past week asking about transitioning to in-house positions from firm life. I tried to offer useful responses when time permitted. I certainly appreciated all the kind words, and I feel for those enduring the struggle of a job search, especially in this economy. Many folks share in […] -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Sarbanes-Oxley / Sarbox / SOX
House Rules: Moving From Litigation to Transactional Work
Welcome to the inaugural installment of House Rules, a column for in-house lawyers by our newest writer, David Mowry. David's column will appear on Wednesdays. Of course, all good stories must have a conflict; David's was that he was taking a job as a transactional lawyer....