In the in-house legal world, there is a phrase that has been worn thin from overuse: business partner. For years, I proudly called myself just that — a business partner. It sounded right. It sounded progressive. It sounded like I had broken out of the old-school “department of no” model.
In fact, I even wrote about it.
In my very first blog post, “Counsel as Strategic Advisors: How to Become an In-House Business Partner”, I made the case that in-house lawyers needed to reframe themselves as strategic business partners — moving beyond legal technician roles and embedding themselves deeply into the fabric of business decision-making.
At the time, it was the conversation I believed we needed to have. Recently, I’ve been rethinking that label, and I have Delida Costin to thank for that. In a LinkedIn post, Costin challenged in-house lawyers to stop calling themselves “business partners” and instead fully embrace their seat at the executive table as business leaders.
Her message was definitely a wake-up call for me:
“When you’re in the top seat, you’re not standing beside ‘the business’ offering advice. You’re leading the business with other executives, but you have a particular legal perspective that you bring to the table.”
Costin’s insight strikes at the heart of a deep identity issue for in-house lawyers. We have spent years trying to “prove” we are more than risk-spotters, more than naysayers, more than cost centers. In doing so, many of us have adopted the label of “business partner” as a kind of armor against outdated stereotypes.
But what if, in doing so, we are selling ourselves short?
The Problem With ‘Partner’
When we call ourselves business partners, we are highlighting collaboration, but as Costin argues, it inadvertently reinforces the idea that the legal department is still somehow adjacent to the business, not of the business. The label can subtly cement an arm’s-length relationship—one where we in-house lawyers are on the sidelines waiting to be “brought in.”
That’s not where in-house lawyers need to be if we are to be truly effective.
At the C-suite level, there are no partners to the business. There are only leaders of the business. Everyone brings their unique perspective to the table — whether it’s finance, operations, marketing, or, yes, legal. The table is round. The decisions are collective. The accountability is shared.
When we continue to define ourselves in opposition to old stereotypes, we are playing on someone else’s field, by someone else’s rules. The “business partner” title becomes a defensive posture rather than a declaration of leadership.
From Legal Leader To Business Leader (Who Happens To Be A Lawyer)
Costin’s challenge is about mindset, not semantics. It’s about shifting from a reactive, advisor mindset to an active, leadership mindset.
This means seeing ourselves not only as protectors of the company but as shapers of the company’s strategy, culture, and future. It means bringing our full legal expertise and our commercial savvy to every executive conversation. It means challenging the CEO, CFO, and other leaders not because we are lawyers — but because we are leaders with a distinct and valuable point of view.
It means owning the fact that legal training is just one facet of what makes us effective leaders. Our technical knowledge is not what makes us valuable. What makes us invaluable is our ability to lead through ambiguity, manage risk strategically, and contribute to business value creation.
Leadership With Context
That said, it is also important to acknowledge that the scope of how you lead — and the way you position yourself — may depend on your company, its culture, and its expectations for the legal function. In some organizations, the in-house lawyer may still be viewed through a traditional lens making the shift to business leadership something that requires careful navigation of organizational norms.
In some companies, the in-house lawyer is embedded in the executive leadership team, expected to weigh in on everything from product development to corporate social responsibility. In other companies, the in-house lawyer is still called upon primarily as a gatekeeper or risk mitigator.
This variability doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aspire to the leadership mindset. It does mean you must calibrate your approach to your company’s culture and openness to the in-house lawyer’s broader contribution. Leadership is situational. It’s not about asserting authority — it’s about stepping into spaces where you can influence outcomes and add value.
Rewriting The Narrative
The hardest part of this mindset shift is letting go of the comfort of the old narratives. The one where we seek to “prove” our value by showing up as helpful partners. The one where we preemptively apologize for being the lawyer in the room.
Costin’s advice? Stop defining yourself in opposition to the old narrative. Define yourself through your contribution.
This requires courage. It requires stepping into spaces where lawyers have traditionally been sidelined — or where we’ve sidelined ourselves. It requires leaning into the uncomfortable moments where legal advice isn’t just a support function, but a driving force behind a strategic pivot, a product launch, or a market exit.
Conclusion: The Call To Lead
The next evolution of the in-house lawyer is not about better integration or smoother partnership. It’s about leadership. Ownership. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other executives as equals, not as guests.
Reflecting on my own journey from writing about being a strategic business partner to now embracing the mindset of a business leader, I see this not as a contradiction, but as an evolution. That first step — asserting the role of partner — was necessary. But the next step is to own our place at the helm, not at the side.
As Delida Costin puts it, “You are one of the leaders of the business. Your legal background… is not the whole story.”
Lisa Lang is an accomplished in-house lawyer and thought leader dedicated to empowering fellow legal professionals. She offers insights and resources tailored for in-house counsel through her website and blog, Why This, Not That™ (www.lawyerlisalang.com). Lisa actively engages with the legal community via LinkedIn, sharing her expertise and fostering meaningful connections. You can reach her at lisa@lawyerlisalang.com, connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyerlisalang/).
The post Drop The ‘Partner’ Act: In-House Lawyers Belong In The C-Suite As Leaders, Not Sidekicks appeared first on Above the Law.