One of the challenges of being an in-house counsel is the tension between our duties as professionals and our duties as employees and managers. Accordingly, this month I'm spelling out a variety of duties we may have and reflecting on the challenges of truly acquitting our professional responsibilities.

Duty to the Client: For in-house counsel, the client is the corporation. That shibboleth is not particularly helpful, though. When you try to dial said client, who are you going to call, Ghostbusters?

More seriously, most people would maintain that the board of directors embodies the client. That is a lovely statement in the abstract. But how often do in-house counsel speak with the board? Even the GC probably sees all of the directors only a half-dozen times per year.