In this course, you will be asked to place yourself in the shoes of the General Counsel or an attorney reporting to the General Counsel and learn how to analyze and respond to a broad range of matters impacting public and private companies. Working in-house requires good judgment, leadership skills, and the ability to quickly and efficiently handle various legal and commercial issues that may arise. This class will focus on practical simulations and discussions based on, or largely derived from, actual legal matters that current corporate legal departments are experiencing today, and will expose students to the range of issues and challenges faced by in-house lawyers. Topics are expected to include, but are not limited to, the role of the board of directors, how in-house lawyers communicate and interact with business executives and teams, managing outside counsel and handling matters in-house. By necessity, most in-house counsel are generalists and must possess fluency in a number of areas such as corporate governance, risk management, finance, intellectual property, litigation, M&A transactions, employment and HR issues, and contracts. Selection of issues covered will depend on student interest and current events. For students aspiring to work in-house, this class will provide familiarity with the environment in which in-house counsel work, and the types of challenging issues they face on a day-to-day basis. The seminar also is suitable for those wishing to work at law firms. In order to better serve their corporate clients, outside counsel must understand the challenges, and align themselves with the objectives, of the in-house counsel that hire (and fire) them.
