In today’s world, General Counsel brings more than legal expertise to companies. They are business and legal advisors to the senior leadership team and cross-functional business units, and they bring a broader skillset and business knowledge to the negotiating table. Being General Counsel in Scottsdale means being more than just a good attorney. It also means being an actively engaged professional with a relevant influence on overall business activities. While companies often retain law firms, General Counsel plays a significant and unique role. They can actively participate in management discussions about complex issues and how to solve problems.
How General Counsel Can Benefit You
As your business continues growing, most things become more complex. As a business owner or other executive, you will run into certain situations that make you feel like you are in uncharted territory. Expanding into new markets requires that you understand local laws, rules and regulations, and hiring more workers engenders more structure. With such growth, it gets to a point where business savvy, experience and instinct are not equal to wise counsel. That means getting some help to run the business. A General Counsel in Scottsdale can help you set up a solid legal foundation for your company, making it possible for you to grow, manage risk, sell your business and invest wisely. A General Counsel contributes a unique perspective, just as other senior leaders, like the chief marketing officer (CMO) or the chief financial officer (CFO) do. A General Counsel becomes a member of the management team and offers advice on more than legal matters.
For example, a counsel can help the CEO and other executives understand the micro and macro ramifications of employment, strategic alliance policy decisions. In addition, a General Counsel can assist with intellectual property protection and mergers & acquisitions—including post-merger integration, where many deals tend to break down.
Thinking Broadly About Shareholder Value and Business
Even though successful Scottsdale General Counsel never remove their legal hat, their way of thinking is broader than legal issues. They also put on their business hat and consider the short-term, mid-term and long-term impacts of corporate decisions, including transactions, joint ventures and litigation. For instance, when a senior leader makes a decision, the counsel will analyze the possible outcomes, including the long-term effect on shareholder value. Such broader thinking dispels the perception that the counsel is only interested in legal issues because of having a law degree.
Mitigating Risks for Your Business
Almost all business decisions come with some risk. Often, businesses are not dealing with something “legal” or “illegal,” but rather, it is all about risk tolerance that dictates whether an action should be taken or not. This is where your Arizona General Counsel comes in and adds value. Most businesses do not think of calling their attorneys when it comes to such decisions. Partly, this has to do with the fact that it may not be a legal issue, or the expenses related to consulting with an attorney. Your counsel understands the inner workings of your business and adds value by weighing the pros and cons of certain actions and their impact on all stakeholders. Your management team can get on the phone and reach out to gain insight into certain decisions.
Here are some common risks that your General Counsel may be able to advise you on:
- Corporate structure modifications and decisions
- Tangible and intangible assets
- Contract drafting and contract processes
- Reducing the risk of disputes
- Regulatory compliance
All Businesses Can Make Use of General Counsel Services
There is a common misbelief that only big organizations can afford to work with an Arizona General Counsel. However, that is not true. A counsel can tailor her services to meet the demands of any business size. Whether you want to sign a new lease, terminate a contract, or expand into new markets, your counsel will help evaluate the consequences of such decisions and help you make the right choices for your company.
How An Attorney Can Help
Working with Scottsdale General Counsel can help in virtually every aspect of your company. Here is a rundown and review of some of the ways an attorney can help you:
- Management meetings: As mentioned earlier, your General Counsel also participates in leadership meetings. The goal is to understand the company’s mission and goals and to generate ideas that can propel the business forward, set it apart from competitors and seek ways to fuel and protect innovation.
- Risk assessment: Another way a General Counsel can help you is by reviewing important decisions and documents to mitigate risks.
- Legal Work: As expected, the General Counsel will also handle legal work. This includes negotiating and drafting vendor and customer contracts, advising on partnerships and other joint ventures, employment, intellectual property protection and corporate governance.
General Counseling services are available to companies of all sizes. In short, the duties of Arizona General Counsel go beyond legal expertise. They also involve covering business and financial matters. If your business needs counsel, reach out to The Law Offices of Katharina Martinka. My law firm has three decades of experience in business law and I will be a valuable addition to your company.