There are those moments when, as a lawyer, you suddenly sit up straight. Not because there’s a problem on the table, but precisely because there isn’t a solution yet. When an interesting discussion is underway about a potential market expansion, when a takeover is being investigated, or a new partnership is being formed. That’s when you spring into action!

Because those are the moments when you don’t just have to assess what’s already on the table. You can contribute ideas about what needs to be created. And, to be honest, that makes the job a lot more enjoyable. Surely it’s far more interesting to discuss what your business aims to achieve than to mark up three pages of general terms and conditions with red comments after the fact? And it’s precisely at that early stage that, as a lawyer, you can ask questions that others may not yet have considered. What does this mean for our responsibilities? Where do the real risks lie? What leeway do we have? What do we need to sort out now to avoid running into problems later on?

That requires a bit of effort on your part

Because there are a few ways you can get involved at an early stage. You could hang around the boardroom in the corridor by the coffee machine, hoping to pick up a few snippets. But you could also simply ensure that you aren’t reliant on office gossip and are sitting at the right table to join in the discussion. You need to be curious about the business, understand what people are trying to achieve, and not be afraid to contribute ideas beyond your own legal specialism. Of course, legal knowledge remains the foundation. But the best part of the job lies mainly in where you can apply your knowledge before the answer is set in stone. Because that’s when the interesting conversation really begins. And you’ll want to be part of that!