A number of years ago, Brian Rose, a then senior Partner at Stikeman Elliott, and I hosted Maura Lendon, the COO of Greenlane Renewables (TSX), at our office for a conversation with a number of our associates. At the time, Maura was General Counsel of a TSX listed mining company, Primaro Mining Corp. and she spoke to the group of her expectations of her legal advisors. What follows are her words, not mine. They resonate today with me as much as they did when she spoke them. They are simple and clear and I am guessing (we will see) that there will be violent agreement amongst General Counsel as to their application.
Read them and heed them.
The Things I expect from Counsel – By Maura Lendon
1. Communication, communication, communication.
2. If my counsel realizes an issue is much more complex than we first thought, I expect to be briefed on it before counsel delves into complex and costly pursuits.
3. Though I know my business and my industry, I expect my counsel to be even more plugged into the latest in terms of deal nuances, terms and conditions, fine points, regulatory changes and use them to my strategic advantage in a negotiation.
4. I expect my counsel to have a general understanding of our business and what our concerns are and provide me with unsolicited thoughts that might advance our interests or mitigate our risks. I expect counsel to “get” our business and provide context-savvy advice.
5. I prefer files to be staffed tightly with the Firm. The smallest appropriate team is the best – and to work as a team, not a bunch of sole practitioners.
6. I expect counsel to focus on solutions to issues, not get caught up in their complexity or pursue issues that are interesting but do not add value. I appreciate elegant, effective solutions.
7. I want to be asked at the end of a file/transaction how the Firm did and I will give honest and proper feedback. I expect counsel to always consider how they can be more effective/provide better counsel efficiently.
8. Remember, you are an ambassador to my Company.
9. Refer to Expectation No. 1