In-House Counsel

Take A Walk On The Business Side: On The Mythology Of The ‘Recovering Lawyer’

Why do we use the language of addiction and recovery to talk about working in law?

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(Image via Getty)

“So, you’re a recovering lawyer, too? Congratulations on getting out!” I hear it all the time from well-meaning friends and strangers. It’s a familiar greeting for us former lawyers, whether in our past lives we were Biglaw associates, Fortune 500 lawyers, or a pre-IPO hot startup general counsel who now leads a business function at a blockchain startup.

Sometimes, I respond with a smile and say nothing. Other times I cheerfully assert, again with a friendly smile, “Once a lawyer, always a lawyer! And I’ve always been a happy one, in fact.” When I’m feeling particularly sassy, I might even say, “As a lawyer, I got to tell people what to do for a living. I got paid to be my control-enthusiastic self! What’s not to like?!”

But in all seriousness, why do we use the language of addiction and recovery to talk about working in law?

Some have pointed out that lawyers are known for saying “no” — or, on a good day, saying “yes, if,” which any good lawyer knows is a more diplomatic way of saying “no.” They say that the legal profession is a very prestigious, comfortable, well-paid trap, with high barriers to entry that make it grueling to leave.

I’m reminded that it’s the job of most lawyers to mitigate risk. Therefore, they say, lawyers are just overhead. When I point out in response that, in fact, lawyers play a huge role in asset creation and asset management, I’m usually met with a smirk. 

This puzzles me! Anyone who has incorporated a company, obtained a patent or a trademark, issued an option, created employee on-boarding papers, or papered an agreement has, in fact, created valuable assets for their company. Admittedly, our ability to fully optimize and intentionally manage these assets’ values and lifecycles are limited by our tools and our imaginations — but that’s another story.   

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While I have a business title and can no longer claim privilege — the only real sacrifice I made when switching to the business side of things — almost everything else has stayed the same:

  • On both the business and legal sides, I have solved challenging problems that I had never encountered before. And in the process, I created value and assets for the company on both sides.  
  • On business and legal, I have shaped the company’s strategy and had a measurable impact on its future.
  • My legal training, experience, and expertise have been instrumental in both business and legal adventures. In fact, in both areas, combining my legal skills with a creative, open mind was vital in finding success.

So, I wonder if it’s accurate to call my adventures on the business side a “recovery,” rather than just, say, an “exploration.” What am I recovering from, and how?

Could it be that the separation between legal and all other parts of a company is just as mythical as Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy? Maybe pretending that we have no choice but to “stay in our swim lane” is an outdated way of thinking. Maybe swimming diagonally and across lanes is more impactful for your company and career.

And most importantly, could the risk and creativity that you take on when leaving behind a thousand-year-old path lead to a more rewarding and satisfying career and more exciting life? What do you think?

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Olga V. Mack is an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor at Berkeley Law, and entrepreneur. Olga founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to serve on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. Olga also co-founded SunLaw to prepare women in-house attorneys become general counsel and legal leaders and WISE to help women law firm partners become rainmakers. She embraces the current disruption to the legal profession. Olga loves this change and is dedicated to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and inclusive than before. You can email Olga at olga@olgamack.com or follow her on Twitter @olgavmack.

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