My approach to transactional work is, number one, protect the client. Have to make sure my client does not get into a deal where they get blindsided by the terms or they are not aware of some of the material aspects of it. I try to inform them and protect them first and foremost.

Second most important thing is to get the deal closed. One of the things that I think many clients are afraid of is lawyers get involved. And they can kill a deal. They can raise so many objections that a deal can not close. While I want to inform my client about the risk and make sure they’re knowledgeable in making an informed decision about going forward, I know that they came to us ultimately to try to get a deal closed. So I always keep that in my mind as well.

And third is to try to find ways to add value for both sides. Oftentimes when you hit a snag in a negotiation, there are oftentimes ways to resolve that that are beneficial to both clients if you can think outside the box and get a little creative about your solutions.

So those are the three pillars I try to focus on; protect the client, close the deal, and add value where you can to get over what would otherwise be snags that could derail a deal.