Four Benefits to Hiring Lawyers With Varied Life Experiences
ZVMLaw Managing Member Zachary V. Moen representing the Violin Society of America at the China International Violin & Bow Making Competition in Beijing, China.
At ZVMLaw, we value diversity and inclusion in many forms. In addition to being a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise and recently implementing a supplier diversity policy, we also pride ourselves on hiring lawyers with varied and rich life experiences (and leveraging that experience in our practice). Prior to working at ZVMLaw, our attorneys not only worked in a variety of legal settings—from big and small firms to in-house roles at public companies and family-owned businesses—but also held numerous non-legal roles, including working in law school administration, violin making, teaching, farming, and founding a startup company. While many excellent firm lawyers followed a more traditional path—from college to law school to practice—here are four benefits we’ve found to working with lawyers with varied life experiences:
1. We better understand our clients and their industries: Having worked in multiple industries outside of law gives us insight into the ins and outs of how businesses and institutions operate. For example, in our current representation of several international violin experts and auction houses in a dispute in New York federal court involving the authenticity of a purported Stradivari violin, lead counsel Zachary V. Moen has been able to draw on his experience as a violinmaker and past board member of the Violin Society of America to offer industry-specific expertise.
2. We incorporate non-legal concerns into our advice: Having served in business and operations roles—in both startups and larger companies—we understand that the most legally conservative course of action may not accommodate other business goals. We draw on our experiences with companies at different stages to help clients of all sizes effectively balance business and legal concerns and provide actionable, practical advice.
3. We understand cost considerations and price sensitivity: Unlike lawyers who have been on the billing side of things their whole careers, we know what it’s like to hire lawyers and pay for legal services (and the pitfalls that can come with an open-ended billing mandate). As a result, we employ the latest technology solutions and offer innovative fee structures that align the interests of attorney and client, including alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) and subscriptions, so our clients get maximum value out of their legal spending.
4. We communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders: Perhaps most critically, our roles outside of law taught us firsthand that lawyers and nonlawyers (and people in general) don’t always communicate the same way. As a result, we get to know how our clients prefer to communicate, steer clear of legalese, and aim to provide clear and concise explanations, making even the most complex legal concepts approachable. Whether talking to a corporate board of directors or an individual employee of that company halfway around the world, we know the human aspect is as important as the legal one.