An Open Letter From a “Business Nerd” Seeking Legal Collaboration on Contracts

Key Takeaways:

• Business users need a simple and straightforward way to request contracts, especially for standard contracts like NDAs or CDAs.
• It’s important to provide business users with a quick and simple way to check the status of their contracts, with notifications sent as the contract progresses.
• Legal teams should collaborate closely with business users, providing standard language and guidance to ensure the best outcomes without slowing down the deal.

Dear Legal,

We know legal and contract teams are focused on ensuring that the contracting process minimizes risk and introduces efficiencies. At the same time, business users like me want a simple and memorable approach that allows us to get contracts negotiated and executed to move sales, partner, and procurement opportunities to closure.

When there is alignment between Legal Ops and the Business — when we understand each other’s perspectives and act upon them with timeliness and integrity — the outcomes can be truly impactful. 

So…what does it look like from a Business Nerd’s Perspective? 

I think it’s helpful to deconstruct the pursuit of legal and business collaboration into five focus areas. 

1. Make my contract request process very easy.

When I do need a contract, please don’t make it an overly arduous task. I need a simple place to fill out a request form that will get you what you need to start the contracting process. Also, if it is a request for one of our standard contracts that don’t require your review, like an NDA or a CDA, please don’t make me wait. (After all, we should be able to get these kind of “low risk, big impact” contracts to my external counterparty as quickly as possible.)

2. Let me get the status of a contract as quickly as possible.

When it is a more complex request or approval process, please give me a simple way in which I can check on how the contract is progressing. Also, send me notifications as it progresses through the process but not too many emails. While I like talking to you, I do feel that is often an unnecessary burden for you and I don’t want to pile on to your day.

3. Collaborate with me on legal positioning

You’re the attorney and, while I will have opinions on the commercial aspects of the transaction, I need your expertise and help to ensure that we get the best outcomes. Also, please work with me and collaborate with me in such a way that it does not slow the deal down. My hope is that you have a lot of standard language and that you can also provide me with guidance, so I know how to best approach this contract and future contracts.

4. Let me know when I’m responsible for a contract commitment.

Once the deal is done, there may be things that I or my other business colleagues are on the hook for; or maybe it is the counterparty that is on the hook, be it legal or business related. Like you, I have a million things to do, so how can you help me ensure that my obligations, my colleagues’ obligations, and my counterparty’s obligations are being taken care of properly?

5. What I need after the contract is signed.

Remember how I said I don’t want to be a burden; well this extends beyond our initial collaboration on the contract. You’ve got the contract in your system and there are times when I need to look back on it, find it quickly, or see how we’ve handled other contracts that are of interest to me. Please make it easy for me to get access to that information quickly and, once again, with minimal burden on you.

In summary, I really want to collaborate with you and take whatever proactive steps are necessary to get you the information you need for contract reviews. I’d simply ask that you make it easy for me to request contracts, check on the status of them, collaborate and get notifications as needed. I’m here for you and I know you want to be here for me as well. Let’s do this! 

Sincerely,

Your Business Partner