PHILOSOPHY
Randel has forged his views of legal practice over a 30-year career both practicing law and investing in real estate/business opportunities.
His principles:
1. There is no place for a generalist in today's legal practice. Accept only those matters that mesh with your experience and expertise.
2. There is no place for ego in representing a client. If you need to grovel to move the client's matter forward, then grovel. It is never about you.
3. Preparation is everything. Prepare for meetings … even Zoom calls. Draft and revise important e-mails and texts. Like in most endeavors, your probability of success is increased to the degree you are willing to outwork your counterparty.
4. Spend the time needed to understand your client's business. What are his/her objectives? Once you know your client's end game, analyze all his strengths and weaknesses in getting there. Are her goals realistic? If not, give that message early so to save time and money.
5. The key to a successful transaction or negotiation is developing an understanding of what the counterparty wants or needs. Sometimes it is cash, sometimes it is the need to deploy cash. It may be the need to move quickly … or, slowly. It could be a tax or a legal problem … or, perhaps a personal matter. Every deal has an underbelly - a place where the other party can be reached. Find that underbelly and you will be much better able to move your client's interests forward.