Skills

Ethics and compliance programs

I know how to design codes of ethics and ethics training that are memorable and inspire ethical conduct. I don’t believe in writing codes of ethics that end up sitting on a shelf collecting dust. I believe in ethics training with the goal of creating skilled ethical decision makers. I don’t think the purpose of compliance training is to create legal experts. Compliance training should create an awareness of legal pitfalls and dangers and help employees know when to raise questions.

Contracts

I’ve drafted, reviewed, and negotiated just about every type of contract – real estate, oil and gas, construction, government contracting, acquisitions, employment, etc. I believe that there’s a solution to almost every disagreement over contract terms. Unfortunately most contracts are signed, then filed away never to be looked at again unless there’s a dispute. I believe that a contract has much more potential as a project management tool that prevents disputes and disagreements.

Corporate Governance

I’ve maintained and organized the corporate records of over fifty entities. I also know how to draft resolutions, committee charters, annual reports, and proxy statements.

Litigation Management

I’ve managed outside counsel in all forms of litigation. I also helped implement a legal billing and case management system. I believe that it’s much better to be a peacemaker than an adversary in litigation.

Adoptions

An adoption is an exciting time and I enjoyed helping with over fifty adoptions. I even argued a case involving an adoption in front of the Alaska Supreme Court. We won.

Compliance

I assisted in putting together 8(a) annual reports, 8(a) applications, DBE applications, and other 8(a) compliance reports. I’ve also managed the compliance requirements with the division of corporations.

Design

The way we learn and communicate is rapidly changing from text to visual learning. In the past we could fire up the word processor and write a bunch of pages of text to convey our message. More and more we are firing up the video camera, digital camera, data visualization tools, Adobe Flash, and many other tools to convey our message (I predict that the iPad will continue this trend). This places the professional in new territory because they’re so used to textbooks and professors.

In order to be persuasive the professional must understand design. I’m taking the time to learn about typography, color, layout, usability, presentation, and other design principles. I’m teaching myself how to use professional design tools such as InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. I’m also learning about photography. I have a goal to learn about animating tools such as After Effects and Cinema 4D. My hope is to improve the way I communicate and present ideas. I want to go far beyond the word processor with all of its limitations.