COURAGE OVER COMFORT: How to Deliver Unpopular Legal Advice Internally—So It’s Heard, Understood, and Drives Smart Business Action
Tuesday, August 12th • 12:00 PM – 1:45 PM ET
Virtual Event - Zoom
In-house lawyers often face a critical leadership challenge: how to speak uncomfortable truths—especially when business partners are sprinting toward results and would rather not hear “bad news.” Whether it’s pausing a risky deal, raising a compliance flag, or saying “no” to a shortcut, the real challenge isn’t just legal accuracy—it’s communication that lands, builds trust, and leads to better outcomes.
This session offers a practical framework to help in-house counsel deliver hard messages with empathy, clarity, and influence. You’ll learn how to shift from being seen as the “no police” to a valued strategic ally—even when you’re raising red flags.
Join us on Tuesday, August 12 at 12pm ET as Michael J. Smikun, Esq. and Brian Williamson of Callagy Law break down the Rapport–Truth–HUI–Action–Agreement model for legal advocacy. Through real-world stories, tools, and reflection prompts, they’ll help you build confidence and credibility in the messenger role—so your legal advice doesn’t just get heard, but acted on.
Key Takeaways:
How to calibrate your delivery based on the businessperson’s pressures, energy, and incentives
Techniques to frame legal risk in business-relevant terms—without blame or fear tactics
How to position yourself as a partner, not a blocker—with language that offers options, not ultimatums
Tools to move from compliance pushback to shared decision-making and aligned outcomes
Coaching cues for helping your team build influence in high-stakes internal conversations
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for in-house counsel and legal leaders who frequently advise cross-functional stakeholders and want to elevate how they communicate legal risk—especially when the advice may be unpopular, urgent, or disruptive to business plans.
