Thoughts on the title “Head of Dispute Resolution and Risk Management”

In July 2008 BAE Systems’ general counsel chose a law firm partner to head its “Dispute Resolution and Risk Management” group. According to Corp. Counsel, Vol. 15, Dec. 2008 at 96, this is the title of the group. I have no quarrel with “dispute resolution,” because that term – broader than litigation management – more comprehensively covers efforts to forestall lawsuits and to deal expeditiously with pre-litigation claims.

I have a major bone to pick with “risk management.” Risk management, whatever that is, is much bigger than legal risks (See my post of March 23, 2008: risk management with 18 references.). So why charge some lawyer with that massive responsibility? It is a title too far.