Kidding.
Introductions
Introduce the lower ranking person to the higher ranking person. For example, “Mr. President, may I introduce Mr. General Counsel.” Introduce a person from your company to a person outside of it: “Ms. Outside Patent Counsel, may I present Mr. General Counsel.” Some people are touchy about introductions. If you’re afraid of getting it wrong, you can say “let’s all introduce ourselves” and let them battle out the order of introductions.
At Table
Got a working breakfast ahead of you? Consider this: In general, don’t start eating until your host picks up her fork or invites everyone to begin. In some circumstances, a grace will be said – another reason to wait and avoid embarrassment.
Conversations
Keep conversation general when possible. What that means is, if you’re speaking in a group of people, steer the conversation away from topics that would necessarily exclude anyone. For example, the Rule Against Perpetuities, fascinating as it is, is best discussed when no non-lawyers are present.
Swearing
Some people are more bothered by this than others, but in a work environment, is never classy. It doesn’t show a person’s individuality or courageous defiance of conventional norms. To some, swearing is merely disrespectful and only shows a lack of vocabulary and self-control.
Please Say Please
We Americans are a diverse lot. Unfortunately, some of us operate on – and make judgments according to – etiquette rules that we don’t all know about. We are generally tolerant of our differences, but knowing some of these hidden rules can make in-house counsel’s relationships within the company smoother and warmer.
Thank you for reading.
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