In-House Counsel

Snarky writing cleverly spoofs the powerful and respected. It pokes sophisticated fun at those in high positions and cleverly mocks them. But there is no snark in law-department land. No general counsel gets lampooned. Why?

Money muzzles snark. Simple. Service providers want to sell to general counsel; vendors want buyers; outside counsel peddle billable hours; consultants chase projects for general counsel; journalists sell ads and nurture sources; conference promoters seek panelists and paying bottoms in seats. No one bites the hand that feeds them, so we read nothing that roasts poor decisions, ineptitude, Dilbertiness, or blatant stupidity.

Snark isn?t underground, a samizdat. Snark would be business suicide for the writer. Even bloggers play the game and do not want to offend general counsel they wish to impress or quote.

So snark is never unsheathed.

I don?t wish for scathing exposes, ironic beard pulling, or vicious satire. I do wish, however, that we had more ventilation of poor management and tactics in legal departments.