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The Best Of Times, The Worst Of Times: Navigating The Emotional Roller Coaster As An In-House Lawyer – Above the Law

It
can
be
the
best
of
times,
and
it
can
be
the
worst
of
times.
As
an
in-house
lawyer,
you
see
it
all.
No
matter
how
well-run
your
company,
there
will
always
be
bumps
along
the
way.
How
you
handle
these
moments
can
make
all
the
difference

for
the
company,
for
your
coworkers,
and
for
you.
Having
the
right
mindset
is
crucial
when
things
aren’t
going
well.

What
mindset
helps
me?


It
Is
Just
Business

People
often
come
to
you
when
they
are
having
the
worst
day
of
their
lives,
overwhelmed
by
a
lawsuit,
an
investigation,
or
a
contract
gone
wrong.
They
feel
powerless,
frustrated,
and
crushed
by
a
system
that
doesn’t
move
as
fast
as
their
deadlines

or
by
the
weight
of
a
legal
problem
they
didn’t
anticipate.

When
those
people
come
to
you,
they
are
looking
for
more
than
just
legal
advice.
They
often
also
need
to
vent,
to
express
their
fears,
anger,
and
even
shed
some
tears.
As
their
in-house
lawyer,
you
are
often
the
only
one
who
can
provide
the
safe
space
for
them
do
that.
So,
let
them.
You’re
not
just
the
company
lawyer;
you’re
also
a
trusted
confidant.
Don’t
take
that
role
lightly.
Remember
to
maintain
perspective.
As
heavy
as
those
emotions
may
feel,
it’s
just
business.
And
when
the
legal
fire
is
put
out,
life

and
business

will
go
on.


It
Is
Not
Personal

While
it’s
important
to
provide
that
safe
space,
it
is
also
important
to
remember
that
it
is
not
personal.
When
someone
is
stressed,
frightened,
angry,
or
all
three
at
once,
they
may
lash
out
or
say
things
in
the
heat
of
the
moment
that
sting.
They
might
direct
their
frustration
at
you,
blaming
legal
for
the
company’s
troubles
or
accusing
you
of
not
doing
enough.

And
here’s
the
tricky
part:
you
care
about
the
company,
about
your
coworkers,
and
about
the
outcome.
So,
it’s
hard
not
to
internalize
that
frustration
and
feel
like
the
target.
But
you
can’t.
Let
their
words
wash
over
you.
In
most
cases,
they’re
not
angry
at
you

they’re
angry
at
the
situation.
If
you
can
remember
that,
you’ll
avoid
unnecessary
stress
and
stay
focused
on
what
really
matters:
helping
solve
the
problem
at
hand.


Don’t
Go
It
Alone

One
of
the
most
common
misconceptions
about
the
in-house
lawyers
is
that
you
are
a
“lone
wolf,”
handling
legal
matters
in
isolation.
That
couldn’t
be
further
from
the
truth.
Yes,
you
are
often
the
only
lawyer
in
the
room.
But
you
are
not
alone.
Your
strength
comes
from
your
ability
to
build
a
community

both
within
the
company
and
outside
of
it.

Internally,
it’s
vital
to
cultivate
strong
relationships
across
departments.
Whether
it’s
finance,
human
resources,
operations,
or
the
executive
leadership
team,
these
are
your
allies.
You
are
not
just
giving
legal
advice
in
a
vacuum;
you’re
helping
these
departments
navigate
legal
risks
that
could
affect
their
entire
strategy.
Knowing
their
priorities
and
challenges
will
help
you
provide
more
tailored
advice

and
it
will
also
make
them
more
willing
to
listen
when
you
need
them
to
consider
legal
constraints.

Externally,
don’t
hesitate
to
build
a
community
of
in-house
lawyers,
outside
counsel,
and
subject
matter
experts.
Having
people
you
can
call
for
advice,
second
opinions,
or
even
just
a
reality
check
is
invaluable.
You
don’t
need
to
have
all
the
answers
yourself

you
just
need
to
know
where
to
find
them.


Don’t
Worry
About
Accolades
And
Public
Acknowledgment

Here’s
another
hard
truth
about
being
an
in-house
lawyer:
a
lot
of
what
you
do
will
go
unrecognized
by
the
broader
organization.
You’re
behind
the
scenes,
working
to
protect
the
company
from
risks
that
most
people
never
even
realize
exist.
If
you’re
doing
your
job
well,
you’re
making
everyone
else’s
job
easier.
But
that
also
means
the
spotlight
often
shines
elsewhere.

This
can
be
tough,
especially
when
you’re
putting
out
fires
and
navigating
complex
legal
challenges.
But
don’t
let
the
lack
of
public
acknowledgment
bother
you.
Your
true
value
isn’t
in
the
applause;
it’s
in
the
fact
that
your
team
trusts
you.
They
show
how
much
they
value
you
every
time
they
knock
on
your
door
and
say,
“I’ve
got
a
situation.
Can
you
help?”
That’s
your
reward

the
knowledge
that
you
are
an
essential
part
of
the
team,
even
if
no
one
is
handing
you
a
trophy.


Celebrate
The
Wins

Even
The
Small
Ones

Finally,
don’t
forget
to
celebrate
the
wins,
no
matter
how
small
they
seem.
In-house
work
can
be
demanding
and
relentless,
with
one
crisis
after
another.
It’s
easy
to
get
so
caught
up
in
problem-solving
that
you
forget
to
take
a
moment
and
recognize
what’s
going
right.
Did
you
successfully
negotiate
a
tricky
contract?
Did
you
help
resolve
a
dispute
that
could
have
escalated?
Did
you
provide
guidance
that
saved
the
company
from
a
potential
pitfall?

These
wins
might
not
come
with
balloons
and
champagne,
but
they’re
worth
celebrating.
Take
a
moment
to
acknowledge
them

both
for
yourself
and
for
your
team
because,
at
the
end
of
the
day,
you’re
all
in
this
together,
and
those
little
victories
are
what
keep
the
company
operating
smoothly.




Lisa_Lang_2Lisa
Lang
is
an
in-house
lawyer
and
thought
leader
who
is
passionate
about
all
things
in-house. 
She
has
recently
launched
a
website
and
blog
Why
This,
Not
That™
(www.lawyerlisalang.com
)
to
serve
as
a
resource
for
in-house
lawyers. 
You
can
e-mail
her
at





[email protected]



,
connect
with
her
on
LinkedIn 
(
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyerlisalang/)
or
follow
her
on
Twitter
(@lang_lawyer).