Key Insights

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1. GCs Should Proactively Seek Board Diversification.

Chase successfully advocated for bringing venture capital (Accel) into a private equity-backed ServiceChannel. He argues that adding different investor viewpoints can change the dynamic of a board and lead to more diverse strategic outcomes.

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2. Avoid the "VP of Legal" Trap.

After an acquisition, it is easy to retreat into a purely defensive "legal only" posture. Chase warns that sitting in leadership meetings only to provide a "legal perspective" can lead to professional unhappiness and a loss of strategic influence. GCs must remain "business partners first" to stay relevant.

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3. Communication is the Antidote to Post-Acquisition Anxiety.

Many GCs fear for their jobs after an exit. Chase recommends "over-communicating" desires and concerns to the new leadership immediately. Since in-house teams hold institutional knowledge that acquirers lack, being vocal about your intended role can accelerate your integration into the new executive team.

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4. Leverage "Non-Lawyer" Talent for Scale.

To run a lean department, GCs should identify and train high-potential paralegals and compliance associates. Chase shares how he trained a trademark paralegal to eventually manage 99% of commercial contracts, proving that "standard work machines" without JDs can be more efficient than traditional attorneys for high-volume tasks.

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5. Understand Your Personal "Triggers" for Productivity.

By being honest about how you work—such as a tendency to push unwanted projects to the end of a list—you can allow your team and sales partners to "game" your productivity in a positive way. Transparency about your working style builds trust and results in faster turnarounds for the business.

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6. Closing Insight

Your role as General Counsel is to ensure the business operates with its "eyes wide open" to the long-term costs of every strategic move. True executive partnership isn't about avoiding the "gray" areas of business operations, but about building the team and internal trust necessary to navigate them successfully.