In-House Counsel

Modern Law: The Pursuit Of Perfectionism And Simplification

Those who simplify the lives of others genuinely stand out in an age of ever-growing complexity.

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in-house counsel teamToday’s lawyers face challenges everywhere they look, whether from internal or external sources. Many try to determine the best way to reach success as a general counsel, how to juggle everything that comes with a bright career (and life as a whole), and how to harness the tools modern lawyers must embrace to be the most useful for their clients. There is a shift away from the complexity that has been the status quo for so long. Instead, the current discourse mostly focuses on adopting user-friendly, simple models.

Below, we talk to five professionals in the field of law with firsthand experience with these topics. They believe the key to success in law lies in significant shifts in its practice and how those involved embrace their careers and lives. They see these shifts and transitions as vital to the modern lawyer’s success.

How Today’s General Counsels Succeed

David Hamm is senior counsel — corporate at Summit Materials and host of the upcoming ABA podcast “Conversations with GCs” designed to educate and develop aspiring general counsels. In this conversation, he talks about exploring the paths of other successful general counsels, tracking what led them to their desired careers and what they feel are the skills and characteristics of a successful general counsel. He also speaks about issues faced by today’s general counsels and shares the advice he and others have for aspiring general counsels. His thoughts mirror what many in the role have felt, both in the past and today.

Hamm talks about the fact that one of the biggest challenges for those pursuing careers as in-house general counsels is finding people who are willing to take the time to mentor up-and-coming lawyers. He states that when you find those willing to be honest about their experiences, there is always a fine line between what can be shared and staying professional. There can be a reluctance to talk about experiences out of concern of going too far. This can mean that, sometimes, a lawyer must seek mentorship outside the current workplace. The feeling that you cannot always express your true self is discussed in more detail in the following conversation.

Perfectionism And Challenges Faced Today

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While many careers frown upon mistakes and stress the need for perfectionism, lawyers come in near the top of the list. It is ingrained into them from when they first start school and never goes away. This focus on perfection leads many to feel they have to wear a mask to hide any fear or insecurity. This is central to my conversation with Niti Nadarajah and Lisa Lang. Nadarajah is the head of the legal department at Philip Morris in Australia. Lang is the general counsel for a regional public university. They discuss careers that are full of challenges and how they attempt to juggle it all as lawyers, women, mothers, and, above all else, humans.

They also touch on fascinating and eye-opening questions of what to do when things start to fall apart and breaking points are reached, as well as how to find the way back to our true selves that are hidden under the strong exteriors put up by modern lawyers. Niti speaks candidly about the fact that many in the law field self-impose the pressure to be perfect, and how small changes made by executives and senior lawyers can exacerbate the need for lawyers to feel in control as they age and progress in careers. Whether the pressure is internal or external, it can be just as damaging to an individual.

Lisa talks about the burden that leaders may put on themselves to try to shoulder everything when it is neither possible nor healthy to do so. She also talks about the need for those in higher roles to not only admit when they make mistakes but to openly express that vulnerability. She believes it makes them better leaders and allows other team members to feel safe to express their own vulnerabilities. This is something that has not usually been the case for law offices or in-house general counsels.

User-Centered Design And Benefits Of Simplification

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Stefania Passera is a contract design and simplification expert in Espoo, Finland, who runs her one-woman consultancy, Passera Design. She is also a contract designer in residence at World Commerce & Contracting. She assists organizations by transforming their contracts and policies into user-friendly, practical tools that work for businesses. An incredibly busy woman, she is also a co-founder of the Legal Design Alliance, a co-author of the Legal Design Manifesto, and the creator of Legal Design Jam.

Paula Doyle is chief legal innovation officer at World Commerce & Contracting. She assists organizations in building efficient contract frameworks, helping them re-imagine and redesign their terms and conditions. The goal of such revision is to facilitate greater ease of business processes and collaboration with technology that results in better outcomes for organizations.

In my conversation, we talk about how those who simplify the lives of others genuinely stand out in an age of ever-growing complexity. We discuss the revolution of the simplified contract that is easier to understand and designed better for businesses. Paula speaks about how designers are obsessed with the user, so, when designing contracts or documents, they focus on how exactly the user will be using the information they obtain from the document. They both believe that the time for simplification is now and that user-centered design is a must-have in business and modern law.

An Important Shift In Modern Law

It has not always seemed like the practice of law had anything to do with simplification, work-life balance, and people willing and enthusiastic about helping others succeed in the field. Fortunately, that is changing. As these topics become more open and normalized, they will allow those seeking general counsel careers to feel more prepared, as well as provide a better balance in life, the acceptance of mistakes, and the power of learning from them. This openness will be beneficial to those in general counsel and anyone practicing in the field.

Olga MackOlga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.

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