If you ask most in-house lawyers what will transform their role, AI usually tops the list. However – just behind AI sits something less shiny but far more fundamental: stakeholder relationships. Stakeholder dynamics can feel “soft”, but for in-house teams they are hard infrastructure. They determine whether Legal is seen as a cost center or as a strategic influencer that helps shape outcomes. This article shares a range of practical tools and approaches you can start using today.
Most in-house teams already clear the bar on technical excellence. The gap is rarely “we don’t know the law;” it’s everything around the law: empathy, communication, collaboration, commercial savvy. The most successful in-house counsel are well-rounded professionals who combine “hearts and smarts.”
Reframe your role
The real shift in stakeholder dynamics begins by reframing the relationship. The magic happens when in-house counsel and the business stop seeing each other as client and service provider and start viewing each other as colleagues. That shift doesn’t happen overnight – it’s built on trust, on showing up consistently, on listening deeply, and on delivering value in ways that truly matter. When you reach that point, you’re no longer just supporting the business, you’re in it together, enabling its success.
Design your stakeholder ecosystem
Relationships won’t “naturally” improve just because time passes. Apply the same discipline you would to a major project. Start by mapping your stakeholders. List the individuals and groups you work with, for example:
- C-suite and business unit leaders
- Product, operations, sales, finance, HR, risk and compliance
- External firms, regulators, key partners
Classify them as:
- Strategic decision-makers – set direction and allocate budget
- Allies / ambassadors – sell Legal positively when you’re not in the room
- Dormant allies – currently neutral but could become strong supporters
- Potential resistors – low relationship quality and enough influence or reach to cause friction
Plot each stakeholder on a simple 2×2 matrix with “influence” on the X-axis and “relationship strength” on the Y-axis. Then prioritize:
- High influence, weak relationship → top priority.
- High influence, strong relationship → protect and nurture.
- Low influence, weak relationship → do not ignore; they can become informal resistors.
- Low influence, strong relationship → valuable, but do not spend all your time here.
This is not about collecting the most “work friends”; it is about where limited time will matter most for the business and your effectiveness.
Next, build small but clear persona maps for your most important stakeholders, outlining who they are, what they care about, how they make decisions, and what motivates or blocks them. This helps you tailor communication and anticipate reactions as you progress.
Make relationship-building part of the day job
A common objection is: “This all sounds great, but I don’t have time.” The reality from teams that have done this seriously: relationship-building and prioritization free up time by killing low-value work.
Some practical ways to embed it:
- Do micro check-ins, not epic catch-ups. Meeting fatigue makes people avoid conversations that would actually help. 5–10 minute walks around the office (or virtual drop-ins) can be more valuable than monthly big meetings. “We’re currently working on [X]. Does that align with your top priorities? Anything you’re worried about where we should be involved earlier?”
- Use video or phone once the third email hits. If a thread goes beyond two emails or feels tense, jump to a quick call with camera on. Misunderstandings tend to drop sharply.
- Remote doesn’t mean invisible. If you’re hybrid/remote, be deliberate about presence: regular virtual coffees, cameras on for key moments, visible participation in cross-functional meetings.
Everyday actions
Strong cross-functional relationships are built through clarity, trust and consistent behavior. Here are a few practical habits that help move teams be more intentional in building trust and rapport:
- Make feedback normal: A simple question like “Is there anything I could do differently next time to make my advice more useful for you?” signals humility, growth mindset and low self-orientation. You won’t always love the answer, but the relationship almost always improves.
- Be transparent about capacity and trade-offs:Many business colleagues assume Legal is much bigger than it is. If one person is wearing multiple “specialist” hats, explain that “You’re funding a small, multi-purpose team, not separate employment, commercial and procurement departments. To give this the attention it deserves, we may need to deprioritize X or adjust timelines.” That’s not an excuse; it’s honest context. It also opens the door to re-prioritization together.
- Reframe from “me vs you” to “we vs the problem”: In tense moments, consciously reset the frame. “We’re on the same side here – how do we solve [X] together in a way that works for the business and stays within our risk appetite?” It sounds simple, but explicitly naming the shared goal often de-escalates defensiveness.
- Spend your “no” sparingly. A degree of conflict is inevitable – especially where Legal’s role is to both protect and enable. If stakeholders experience you as generally constructive and solution-focused, then when you do say “no”, it lands with weight.
Does this strike a chord? These are just a few of the concrete ideas shared during this highly practical Dentons webinar featuring Dan Kayne, CEO & Founder of O Shaped and JoAnne Wakeford, Director of Global Client Engagement and Communications at Dentons. Watch the full webinar here (CX webinar program: Navigating stakeholder dynamics for in-house counsel), sign up for upcoming webinars here (Dentons – CX webinar program) or take a look at the extensive library of past Dentons webinars here (Dentons – CX webinar program insights library).
