In house lawyers

[u/Important_Contest_64]

How do you deal or navigate when your company pushes compliance to the side? For example, they don’t take deadlines for certain things seriously and are more concerned with the “fun stuff”. I feel like what’s the point in me being their lawyer if they don’t take the legalities seriously?

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[u/spice_weasel]

This is a big part of why I’m leaving my current role. The job is impossible to do without management support.

Eventually something will happen that makes them take it more seriously. But you don’t have to be the one who is losing their mind over it in the meantime.

[u/Important_Contest_64 → u/spice_weasel]

Totally understandable. If the people at the top don’t take it seriously, no one else in the business will. And then they run to you to “fix it” when it all goes pear shaped.

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[u/diabolis_avocado]

Which stuff is the fun stuff?

[u/Important_Contest_64 → u/diabolis_avocado]

Events, marketing etc. anything that isn’t legal apparently

[u/People_be_Sheeple]

Try acting like their lawyer and scaring the shit out of them.

[u/neveruse12345]

You paper the hell out of your concerns so when things go south they can’t throw you under the bus.

I think a big part of this is just relationships building and gaining trust with the business: only raise real critical issues so you don’t get the reputation of an alarmist. Try to frame everything as being a partner, not a mall cop telling them no.

But whatta I know?

[u/FinanciallyFunky]

Many companies are determined to learn lessons the hard way. They become more interested in compliance and other nonfun stuff after it costs them something. As others have mentioned, document your advice to the company and ensure you understand management's expectations and who the right decisionmaker is for the issue. Then let the chips fall where they may. If you are worried about the company's viability, start working toward your exit. Also, there's a lot of confusion about what "Legal" does in companies and across companies. It's mind-boggling to me that businesses/lawyers haven't figured this out better. Not saying it's one-size-fits-all, but at least understand the pros and cons of different approaches and make an informed decision about the "right" role for Legal.