Marcus did everything right, but clients still interrupted, doubted, and second-guessed him.
He prepared flawlessly, had perfect binders, and analyzed every clause.
And yet, in client meetings, it wasn’t enough.
- He’d be interrupted mid-sentence.
- Second-guessed on advice he knew was sound.
- Sometimes, clients even called the partner in the middle of the meeting – just to check if Marcus was really right.
If you’ve ever felt that sting, you know the pain. Even the best of us have.
The Current Beneath the Surface
Think of it like the ocean.
The surface looks calm: memos, polite talk, meetings.
But beneath runs a powerful current – deciding in advance how much weight your words will carry.
That current is what I call the silent negotiation.
It’s not about contracts or clauses
It’s about perception.
Clients are constantly sizing you up – deciding if you’re the voice to trust, the hand to hold, or the junior they need to double-check.
At Harvard, we called it “the negotiation before the negotiation.” Because by the time you argue the law, the real decision, whether they trust you, has already been made.
3 Shifts That Changed Everything for Marcus
1. From Facts to Fears
At his next meeting, Marcus didn’t open the binder.
He opened with a question instead:
“Before we dive into solutions, tell me – what keeps you up at night about this deal?”
That one move shifted the focus from his expertise to their concerns.
2. From Clauses to Meaning
Instead of flooding them with details, Marcus drew out business goals.
He asked about risks, about fear, about the long-term meaning of each decision.
Because details without trust are like building a skyscraper on sand – impressive, but unstable.
3. From Scrambling to Slowing Down
When clients tried to rush him, Marcus didn’t speed up. He paused and said:
“This decision will impact your business for years. Let’s make sure we get it right.”
That calm authority reframed him, but as a counselor holding the line for their future.
And the transformation was immediate.
→ The same CXOs who once went behind his back began introducing him as our strategic counsel.
→ They stopped questioning him.
→ They started seeking his perspective on business decisions even beyond legal matters.
The lesson for you?
The law may win arguments.
But trust wins the room.
Every day, you’re in a silent negotiation – teaching clients how to see you, hear you, and treat you.
Smart lawyers know how to harness that current, turning doubt into credibility and pressure into trust.
So the question is:
When clients doubt or rush you… are you losing authority, or building it?
