Three internal communication methods other than for substantive legal developments

Typical methods for communication within a legal department include group e-mail lists, intranet sites, bulletin boards, staff meetings, town hall meetings, and periodic conferences or retreats. Other ways to communicate are less usual (See my post of March 25, 2008: hypersonic sound.). Here are three.

Newsletters, delivered in hard copy or electronically. I worked with an insurance company that sent around monthly newsletters and a pharmaceutical company that distributed them by email (See my post of Sept. 4, 2006: general comments on purpose of newsletter; March 13, 2007: examples from BMO and Lucent; and Sept. 22, 2006: one way a law department markets its services.).

Statements of principals. The general counsel of Westinghouse and Reebok used this medium, that give specificity to mission statements (See my post of March 4, 2007: retrospective on “Reebok Rules”.).

News accounts. A third instance of communication is clippings from the press about the client circulated throughout the law department. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey did that years ago in its law department.