Leading a deal team to success “is art, not science,” says one in-house lawyer in Edmonton. “The hard part is the art involved with synthesizing all of that information into a decision, because there’s never a clear answer.”
External lawyers may give advice, and after the contract is signed they can simply walk away if the deal turns out badly, says Kate Chisholm, senior vice-president, legal and external affairs for Capital Power. Even the most carefully laid plans can change in the blink of an eye.
But that’s what makes deals so interesting, Ms. Chisholm says. With a strong team in place, if “there’s an obstacle … you put your brains together so that you can find an alternate route to get to the same destination.”
Lexpert contributor Ann Macaulay reports at www.lexpert.ca/globe. Follow @Lexpert on Twitter. Lexpert is published by Thomson Reuters.