法务人的自白 | “律师需要像企业家一样思考与工作”

来源：汤森路透法律圈

动态摘要近日，美国DHL Supply Chain法务总监Mark A. Smolik接受了汤森路透（TR）专访，就公司法务部的工作要点、目标以及何种律所会给他留下深刻印象等话题发表见解。以下为专访节选。

TR:

What are the top goals or areas of focus for the law department? Are there any innovative ideas the law department has adopted to further its goals?

▌Mark A. Smolik: 

Our top goals include identifying regulatory and legal trends that have an impact on our business, working collaboratively with other departments and business leaders to mitigate risks, and ensuring that the culture of our department is one that deeply respects all of our associates and provides plenty of career advancement opportunities.

The businesses we serve work extraordinarily hard to service our customers, meet their operating and financial objectives, and generate sufficient revenue to fund overhead functions such as ours. This is the reason we run our department like a business. We likewise work hard to ensure we are fiscally prudent and accountable for every dollar we spend and that we deliver meaningful and measurable value to the organization.

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How does the law department avoid being perceived as the “office of no” while still ensuring it helps the client avoid liability?

Several years ago, our department adopted the operating theme “Align, Enable, Simplify” to represent everything we do and what we strive for day in, day out. We work hard to align with the business and truly understand their strategic objectives and goals. We are a team of enablers and do what it takes to help the business achieve those objectives. Finally, we provide advice in plain English, simplifying the complexity that is inevitable given the many practice areas we cover and countries in which we operate.

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What three things does a law firm need to do to impress you?

➤ Think and act like entrepreneurs, just like we do. If you do not know what that means, ask!

➤ Offer proactive, pragmatic advice in terms easily understood.

➤ Understand that you operate in a hypercompetitive environment. Provide uncompromising, quality service at a price point that reflects that environment. Follow up on your work, communicate often, and do not assume we will call you. If you want our work, you must constantly earn it.

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What book has influenced you the most?

 I have read many books over the years, so it is hard to point to just one. The book I am currently reading is On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life by John O’Leary. It is a fascinating read about the author’s personal struggle with tragedy and how he overcame the many challenges in life that followed.

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What is the best career advice you have ever received?

Never break a promise. Mean what you say and do what you say, when you say you are going to do it.

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