Let’s
face
it.
It
probably
does.
Control
is
an
illusion.
For
in-house
lawyers,
the
legal
landscape
has
always
been
unpredictable.
But
today,
that
unpredictability
feels
more
like
a
wildfire
—
spreading
rapidly,
jumping
across
boundaries,
and
consuming
everything
in
its
path.
Regulations
are
pulled,
economic
conditions
change,
and
business
expectations
shift
overnight.
It’s
easy
to
feel
overwhelmed. Yet,
here’s
the
truth:
there
is
absolutely
nothing
in
this
environment
we
can
control.
The
sooner
we
accept
that,
the
better
we
can
function
in
this
ever-changing
world.
Embrace
Uncertainty
In-house
lawyers
learned
to
embrace
uncertainty
the
hard
way
during
the
pandemic.
The
world
seemed
to
change
overnight
forcing
legal
teams
to
interpret
emergency
regulations
on
remote
work,
draft
workplace
safety
policies,
and
revise
existing
contracts
to
deal
with
supply
chain
disruptions.
What
was
acceptable
one
day
became
noncompliant
the
next. Now,
we
must
do
it
again.
And
again.
And
again.
The
key
is
not
to
fight
the
chaos,
but
to
learn
how
to
move
within
it.
When
you
embrace
the
reality
that
control
is
an
illusion,
you
stop
wasting
time
trying
to
manage
the
unmanageable.
Instead,
you
focus
on
what
really
matters:
-
Guiding
leadership
through
legal
uncertainty with
strategic
thinking,
rather
than
reactive
decisions. -
Focusing
on
adaptability rather
than
rigid
compliance
measures
that
may
soon
be
outdated. -
Building
resilience by
anticipating
change
instead
of
fearing
it.
Pause,
Assess,
And
Act
When
chaos
erupts,
the
instinctive
response
is
often
emotional
and
reactive.
That
is
the
worst
thing
an
in-house
lawyer
can
do.
Instead,
take
a
breath.
Observe.
Listen.
Trust
—
but
verify.
During
the
pandemic,
many
companies
rushed
to
implement
emergency
policies
without
fully
considering
long-term
implications.
Those
who
paused
to
assess
the
full
legal
landscape
were
able
to:
-
Gather
critical
information before
making
high-stakes
decisions. -
Coordinate
across
departments to
ensure
alignment
on
legal,
operational,
and
personnel
considerations. -
Evaluate
risk
exposure rather
than
responding
with
short-term
fixes. -
Communicate
effectively so
employees
and
leadership
understood
the
reasoning
behind
decisions.
This
isn’t
about
being
passive.
It’s
about
being
intentional.
The
best
in-house
lawyers
know
when
to
act
decisively
and
when
to
wait.
Strategy
Over
Panic
Helping
your
company
build
a
strategy
in
an
uncertain
legal
environment
is
one
of
the
most
valuable
things
you
can
do.
That
means:
-
Assessing
risks as
they
evolve,
rather
than
reacting
to
headlines. -
Understanding
regulatory
shifts and
their
impact
on
business
objectives. -
Communicating
legal
realities in
a
way
that
decision-makers
understand. -
Providing
stability when
leadership
is
overwhelmed
by
uncertainty.
It
also
means
making
the
tough
calls
when
necessary.
The
decisions
you
help
your
company
make
will
have
consequences
—
some
positive,
some
negative.
That’s
the
reality
of
business.
During
the
pandemic,
in-house
counsel
played
a
crucial
role
in:
-
Balancing
legal
risk
with
business
survival by
guiding
leadership
on
government
relief
programs,
employee
policies,
and
contractual
obligations. -
Navigating
liability
concerns when
reopening
offices,
ensuring
compliance
with
evolving
safety
mandates. -
Mitigating
workforce
challenges by
addressing
furloughs,
layoffs,
and
rehiring
strategies
in
a
legally
sound
way.
When
those
consequences
reveal
themselves,
your
role
isn’t
just
to
defend
the
decision
but
to
help
the
company
navigate
the
aftermath,
whether
that
means
mitigating
risks
or
leveraging
new
opportunities.
The
Mindset
Shift
That
Changes
Everything
Instead
of
seeing
uncertainty
as
a
threat,
think
of
it
as
an
opportunity. Companies
that
were
able
to
pivot
quickly
during
the
pandemic
—
whether
by
shifting
business
models,
restructuring
operations,
or
adapting
to
remote
work
—
were
the
ones
that
emerged
stronger.
The
same
applies
to
legal
teams.
Those
who
embraced
uncertainty
became
indispensable
to
their
organizations. To
cultivate
this
mindset:
-
Adopt
a
growth
perspective.
View
uncertainty
as
a
challenge
to
navigate,
not
a
crisis
to
survive. -
Stay
informed,
stay
agile.
Monitor
regulatory
trends
and
be
ready
to
adjust
as
needed. -
Strengthen
internal
relationships.
Work
closely
with
leadership,
finance,
HR,
and
operations
to
anticipate
challenges
before
they
become
legal
problems.
Why
You
Matter
Now
More
Than
Ever
In
moments
of
uncertainty,
companies
remember
why
they
have
in-house
counsel.
The
ability
to
provide
clarity
in
chaos,
strategy
in
uncertainty,
and
solutions
when
no
obvious
answers
exist
is
what
sets
great
in-house
lawyers
apart. This
is
what
we
do
every
day.
When
the
fire
feels
most
out
of
control,
the
in-house
lawyer
role
becomes
even
more
essential.
So,
if
your
professional
life
feels
like
a
raging
wildfire
—
let
it
burn.
You
don’t
have
to
control
it.
You
just
have
to
find
your
way
through
it.
Lisa
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).