Focus on What Matters, Not Just What’s the Matter
By: Laura Meherg In the legal profession, attorneys are trained to identify risk, spot flaws and protect against exposure. Law school rewards issue spotting. Clients reward precision. Courts demand proof. Somewhere along the way, however, that training can cause attorneys to focus on “what’s the matter” instead of “what matters.”
In a client interview this week, a business executive made a comment that struck me: “Attorneys are in the only business in the world that gets paid for their inefficiencies. That is frustrating for a company that has to survive by its efficiencies.”
He wasn’t criticizing the legal profession for caring about details. Details matter. He was pointing out that many attorneys lose sight of the bigger picture. They spend time rewriting perfect memos, debating language that will have little impact, fighting opposing counsel to “win” or reworking documents internally long before involving the client.
When attorneys focus solely on finding fault, they often:
- Overcomplicate deliverables
- Slow decisions with unnecessary analysis
- Miss the client’s true objective
- Damage trust by appearing misaligned with business needs
Clients tell us repeatedly: “I don’t need a treatise. I need a business partner.” They want lawyers who protect them from risk and help them move forward. They value insight, clarity and progress.
So how do you shift from “what’s the matter” to “what matters”?
- Start with purpose. Ask, “What decision will this help you make?” or “What does success look like here?”
- Prioritize action. Share options and recommendations, not just analysis.
- Right size the work. Deliver the level of detail appropriate to the business risk.
- Communicate value clearly. Show how your work advances the client’s strategic goals.
- Be curious, not just critical. Ask before you argue. Understand before you edit.
The best lawyers I know are no less rigorous. They simply apply that rigor with intention. They step back from the weeds, align with client priorities and make it easy for clients to work with them.
Attention to detail keeps clients safe. Attention to what matters keeps clients coming back.