Legal Coaching – An Integral Part of Legal Advice

The shareholder dispute escalates – a sustainable restructuring of a company fails, although there is nothing wrong with the legal processing of the facts.

In such conflicts the client’s question whether the legal solution is in line with his/her personal goals often remains unresolved in the legal consultation.

It is for this reason that modern legal advice includes not only the legal processing of the facts, but also conflict coaching.

Today, a law firm with a focus on commercial law is therefore expected to not only transfer knowledge but to also assess the client’s personal and emotional starting situation and goals. Only then does the client feel understood and can the lawyer as a legal coach build a strategy that constitutes a perfect fit.

Especially in the context of a shareholder dispute or a pending restructuring of a company, the personal stress and emotional strain on the client should not be underestimated. This not only leads to an enormous increase in the conflict load and conflict costs, but often also results in failure. If the client’s needs, goals, and values are identified well in advance, however, a mandate strategy tailored to his/her particular needs can significantly reduce conflict stress and conflict costs.

The lawyer as a legal coach offers a protected framework for personal stability to give room to emotionality but also to work out a sustainable solution to the conflict.

Conflict-ridden discussions are reviewed by the legal coach with the client, not only from a legal point of view but also by taking the client’s broader needs into account. The lawyer as a legal coach also works with the client on how best to navigate relations with the parties to the conflict after a legal dispute.

The client’s personal roadmap and behavioural strategies are worked out with the client. These strategies have a de-escalating effect in the conflict. There is an increased feeling of satisfaction with the outcome on part of the client, since he/she was involved in every step of the legal proceedings and since the solution corresponds to his/her personal goals.