Sri said, “That’s a good question. Let me start with what I think is a bad lawyer.”

 1. “A bad lawyer is one that asks too many questions instead of providing me with guidance as to what the terms should be.” Sri said he likes working with attorneys who offer solutions, rather than just identifying issues.

This reminded me of a senior associate who never made partner at the Big Law firm I worked for years ago. I’d heard he was a fantastic issue spotter, but never good at proposing solutions. The lesson learned was, to be a good lawyer in a big firm (i.e. make partner) one needs to propose solutions.

 2. Secondly, Sri mentioned he doesn’t like working with lawyers who don’t follow up and push the deal along.

With extensive experience representing clients in M&A transactions, I understand the process, complexities, and timing of getting a deal done. At Aimee B. Davis Law, P.C., we know the deals we’re working on aren’t the only things on our client’s plates. As such, I monitor my deals, maintain detailed and organized notes, and check in with my clients when I haven’t heard from them after several days to see how the business negotiations are going. I like to make sure my clients are committed to proceeding with a deal before incurring additional, ongoing legal fees.

 3. Lastly, Sri said he doesn’t like attorneys who can’t-don’t provide advice regarding standard market terms, such as, what should be (i) the escrow holdback period, (ii) the survival period of the indemnity clause, or (iii) the cap on the indemnity?

Aimee B. Davis Law, P.C. brings not only years of experience, through good and challenging financial times, but we also appreciate that our value proposition is to help C Suite executives efficiently finesse their way through complicated legal documents. I’ve learned to appreciate that M&A deals are conducted in a highly specialized language, which I am uniquely trained to understand.

At year-end and other times, there’s often pressure to close M&A deals quickly, before some unnecessary deadline. After 16 years of practicing in Big Law and nearly a decade at Aimee B. Davis Law, P.C., I’ve learned that having time to think, be thoughtful, and be intentional is invaluable to being a good lawyer. Unquestionably, it’s challenging to avoid being on auto-pilot during the pandemic, but —

Timing is Everything.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned practicing in Big Law is that when the business people are ready to close a deal, a good lawyer knows when it’s time to get out of the way, kick into facilitator mode, and work as hard and fast as possible in order to close. That is what I strive to do for my clients.