ABA Section of Business Law
Business Law Today
Volume 6 Number 4
March/April 1997 Issue
THE INS AND OUTS OF A RELATIONSHIP: HOW CORPORATE COUNSEL CAN WORK WITH LAW FIRMS
By HAROLD S. BARRON
Author discusses strategies for corporate counsel and their law firms. Some of his points: it's a rapidly changing environment, many corporations employ an internal legal staff, no internal legal staff is equipped to handle all matters that arise. He concludes that a partnership with outside law firms is necessary and tells how to develop that relationship.
THE OVERSEAS OUTLET: WHAT U.S. COMPANIES SHOULD LOOK FOR IN
FOREIGN DEALERS
By DOUGLAS M. CASE
What should companies in the United States look for when exporting their goods
overseas? They will have to come to agreement with dealers in foreign countries. Author
details how it's more difficult than might be imagined.
GOING CORPORATE WITH THE BUSINESS LAW SECTION: WHAT IT CAN
MEAN FOR YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT
By JERRY DeMUTH
Why should a general counsel or other corporate lawyer join or become active in the
ABA's Section of Business Law? A number of general counsel from around the country
tell why.
WHAT DOES IN CONFIDENCE' MEAN?: SECRETS, CONFIDENTIALITY AND
THE IN-HOUSE LAWYER
By STEPHEN E. KALISH
What are legal ethics issues involved with confidentiality and the in-house lawyer? What
about the attorney-client priviliege -- does it apply? Who is the client? The author gives
some suggestions on how to handle managers' secrets and confidences and advises readers
to note the weaknesses in confidentiality assumptions.
ADR IN THE WORKPLACE: HOW IT WORKS WHEN AN EMPLOYEE IS UPSET
By LAWRENCE I. KIPPERMAN and JONATHAN D. LOTSOFF
Using ADR in the workplace is an unprecedented opportunity for employers to reduce the
costs of employment disuptes.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT -- ALMOST: CONVICTING MANAGERS FOR THE
CONDUCT OF ORDINATES
By STEVEN M. KOWAL
What is the criminal liability for an "innocent person"? What is the "responsible relation"
to a violation? Is there executive liability? What is the strict criminal liability? What if a
manager told a ordinate to make something right and the ordinate went on doing
something criminally wrong? Does the manager have liability?
GOING IN-HOUSE WITH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: WHAT IT MEANS; WHY
YOU NEED A STRATEGY
By J. MAY LIANG
What should intellectual property mean for corporate lawyers? The author discusses the
standard areas -- patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. In-house lawyers
should persuade corporate executives that an intellectual property program is important.
HANDS ON AT HEADQUARTERS: BANK OF AMERICA TELLS HOW ITS LEGAL
DEPARTMENT DEALS WITH LITIGATION
By JAMES N. ROETHE
How should the large litigation portfolio be managed? The Bank of America shares its
approach -- including keeping as many cases as possible inside, the techniques to reduce
litigation costs, ADR clauses in all contracts, the use of mediation, etc.
BRINGING IT INSIDE: CONTRACT MANAGEMENT IN A CORPORATE SETTING
By KRISTI L. VAIDEN
What should contract negotiations mean for a corporate legal department? The author
talks about defining the business relationship, getting rapid closure, reducing litigation
costs and maintaining the privileged status of communications.
JET WAY: HOW TO BUY AND KEEP THAT CORPORATE PLANE
By JEFFREY S. WIEAND
OK, so helping a company buy a corporate jet isn't something you do every day. But if
you're that corporation's legal department, maybe you should have some idea what the
considerations are. The author tells you.