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Step out, innovate, and lead with influence. This is Danny’s compelling call to action for in-house lawyers who want to make a difference. And while he admits that the thought of stepping out of the legal department to engage with business partners is daunting for many in-house legal professionals, he maintains that doing so is a game-changer when it comes to fostering relationships.
“Winning trust and building influence starts with stepping out of your legal bubble,” says Danny. “Building better relationships requires us to leave our familiar territories and engage more directly with our business partners.”
Actively seeking engagement with colleagues and breaking down the ‘them’ and ‘us’ mentality which has dogged the legal world for generations is, promises Danny, worth the effort – especially for in-house lawyers who wish to be seen as strategic partners in the business.
If proactive engagement offers a significant step forward in developing the relationship between a business and its in-house legal team, so too does the development and utilization of said team’s emotional intelligence (EQ). “Emotional intelligence is defined by how well you control your own emotions and are aware of the emotions of those around you,” says Danny, adding that on many occasions he’s seen lawyers give advice which is correct – but delivered poorly.
Danny notes that good EQ can help dismantle the barrier which is often present between the business and its legal department. “It’s about striking a balance between being a trusted advisor and a decision-maker, navigating the organization’s dynamics with sensitivity and insight. It’s not just about getting things done, but getting them done right.”
To that end, Danny says it’s also critical not to underestimate the importance of culture. A small, happy and motivated team will always achieve much more than a large, unhappy team with a toxic culture. “It’s very hard to incentivize people to create good culture. You have to hire well – and look for people with high emotional intelligence. If you’re paying people to be culture carriers, it defeats the purpose.”
Authenticity, empathy and clear communication remain at the heart of delivering effective in-house legal advice, as does the ability to say no. This is not always easy, because no is a word with negative connotations. But for Danny, “no” is what he calls a necessary brake. As he puts it, every driver knows the value of a vehicle’s accelerator and brake – and in a fast-paced business environment, where speed is often equated with efficiency, the brake’s role is as important as that of the accelerator. “Who would want to get in a car without a brake?” he asks, his question a powerful reminder of the critical role legal plays in safeguarding a company’s interests, even if it sometimes means slowing down the process.
“In the past ten years, I think GCs and Chief Legal Officers have been pushed to have a foot in both camps – there is pressure to demonstrate both that they’re a positive revenue generator for the business, but that they are also still looking after the risk side of things. There’s been a lot of focus on getting stuff done, of having to prove how much you’re a benefit to the business. But it can’t be all about that. We have to concentrate on risk assessment too – which means slowing things down now and again.”
According to Danny, the fear of being labeled a blocker is palpable within legal departments (they have the unfortunate reputation as being the place where deals go to die) and he encourages teams to reevaluate this perception. “A senior leader at Meta offered me some great advice when she said, ‘Don’t just answer the questions in front of you, look ahead and to the side. It’s okay sometimes to say no.’”
And while “no” is a word Danny isn’t afraid to use, he suggests that legal teams also consider, where applicable, opting instead for “so”. This is a semantic tweak which embodies a larger philosophical shift: viewing limitations not as dead ends but as opportunities to explore alternative pathways. For example, instead of delivering an outright “no”, it might sometimes be worth saying, “So, have you thought about…” or “So, instead of…”.
This approach not only opens the door to new solutions, it also gives legal the opportunity to make sure that they are actually asking – and answering – the right questions. “It’s not necessarily enough to simply answer what the business has asked. We also sometimes have to answer the questions they didn’t know they had to ask. And those may not even be legal questions,” says Danny. People don’t know what they don’t know – and by reframing the conversation where necessary, legal can deliver advice which, as well as being technically correct, also serves commercial strategy.
The evolution from advisor to decision-maker marks a significant leap for in-house teams. These days, legal insights are not just valued for compliance purposes, but are also essential for informing decision-making. As proactive legal advisors, Danny stresses the importance of anticipating future concerns and strategizing accordingly. “A few years ago, I would have said that our role is one hundred percent advising – we advised, and the business decided. But as I’ve worked in flatter and more fast-moving organizations, we no longer have that luxury. In my view, we are moving towards a world in which legal decides more than we advise.”
This shift underscores the growing role that in-house legal professionals play in helping to shape business outcomes. Emotional intelligence and cultural competency are part and parcel of this adjustment. Lawyers are not just interpreters of the law, but strategic advisors who have the ability to significantly impact the landscape of their businesses.
In the end, legal’s path to building trust and influence within organizations is paved with more than just legal expertise. It demands a deep understanding of the business, a commitment to collaboration, and, perhaps most importantly, the human touch that turns barriers into bridges – resulting in stronger outcomes for all concerned.
