Joining the Call: Insight on Client Relationships
NEW YORK – Last summer, Weil was recommended to me as a firm that partners with its clients. As I prepared my bids for on-campus interviews, a previous employer noted that Weil never felt like outside counsel. Rather, Weil always positioned itself as a member of the organization and each particular matter’s team. And the work product, I was told, always reflected this team-oriented, collaborative approach. This summer, the opportunity to join partners and associates on client calls and in negotiations with counter-parties allowed me to confirm these points first-hand.
Consider a series of negotiations for a corporate matter. Counsel for the other side needed to refer most points and questions from the Weil team back to its client before any discussions could proceed. The Weil attorneys, however, were able to speak not only to their client’s position and flexibility on the matter, but also to the client’s historical approach on similar transactions or with similarly situated counterparties. Weil was prepared to effectively and efficiently negotiate on behalf of its client. Weil’s capacity came as no surprise when the partner on the deal later told me he’s represented this client for many years, on many deals. He had a thorough understanding of the client’s legal and business needs and practices.
But seeing Weil’s collaborative, engaged relationship with clients hasn’t required the involvement of another firm. On client calls, attorneys and client representatives interact as colleagues, with Weil attorneys expressing a shared commitment and responsibility for both the clients’ legal questions and the impact Weil’s guidance will have on the client’s broader business and organizational objectives.
Seeing the depth of Weil’s relationships with clients certainly doesn’t require listening in on client calls and negotiations—the same can be gleaned from discussions in internal meetings, and is perhaps inherent in the long-term relationships Weil maintains with many clients. But the opportunity to see and hear Weil attorneys interact with, and act on behalf of, their clients provides valuable first-hand insight on the firm’s team-oriented commitment to its clients.