Duck and Cover
By Mimi Rosenheim
"Call in the lawyers."
That simple phrase can quicken the pulse of the most seasoned professional. It conjures visions of suited attorneys carrying bulging leather portfolios. They settle in at the table opposite you and outline the trouble you're in. With their Mont Blanc pens and oversized note pads, they calmly scribble figures that add up to bankruptcy for your business. Meanwhile, you're calculating how much you'll have to pay them for delivering the bad news.
If You Build It, They Will Sue
Let's face it, our problems seem to be solved increasingly in the courtroom. People are intrigued by the legal process, as indicated by the plethora of legal shows on television and a whole cable channel dedicated to analyzing the legal fights between hostile parties. Everyone thinks they can speak as a trained legal professional because they've logged a few hours watching Judge Judy. What's more, the Microsoft trial sound bites made us antitrust experts, too. Many of us assume that we have the basic knowledge necessary to keep our companies out of legal trouble during the development process.
I don't want to insult your intelligence; however, if you're not considering the legal ramifications of every decision you make at work, you can consider yourself negligent.
How can I speak with such authority? I worked in financial services for over five years, and during that time, the company where I worked seemed to be sued once a day every day of the year. (Note to self, consult attorney to see if I may be risking a libel suit.)
