How can lawyers and clients best work together?

January 2025

Abstract

We often hear about clients and lawyers frustrated with each other. Certainly, both sides would have wished to avoid the disappointment. However, do we know how to forge a healthy lawyer-client relationship that promotes work efficiency and maximizes the chances of the client’s success? Below, I respond to this question with a series of tips drawn from my 20-year experience working on the lawyers’ side of the table, 16 years in large law firms and as a solo practitioner for the last four. To have the full view on the subject, I have invited five chief in-house lawyers to share their views from the client’s seat. Let’s get started.

Authors

Eduardo Bereterbide

International Arbitration and Litigation Lawyer, Bereterbide Conseils, France

Eduardo Bérèterbide is a dual-qualified attorney (New York and Argentina) specialized in international disputes. Eduardo is based in Paris, the World’s international arbitration hub. He has more than 20 years of experience in international arbitration and litigation, working in leading firms in New York, Buenos Aires and Paris, including 12 years with Shearman & Sterling LLP. Eduardo has worked in more than 40 large international arbitration and litigation disputes in the oil & gas, renewables, corporate, tax, construction, aviation, and nuclear fields. He has extensive experience in intra-family commercial disputes involving UHNW individuals. Eduardo has also worked in several fraud and corruption investigations in Mexico and US including the representation of clients before the DoJ and Latam prosecution authorities.

Davor Domitrovic

Head of Legal, Quiñenco S.A , Chile

https://www.quinenco.cl/en/quinenco-integra-nuevos-profesionales-a-su-plana-ejecutiva/

Companies

Bereterbide Conseils

Bereterbide Conseils is a firm based in Paris but operating internationally. www.bereterbide.com

Anglo American

https://www.angloamerican.com/

Abdul Latif Jameel

alj.com

Shell Oil Company

https://www.shell.com/

SD Guthrie

https://www.sdguthrie.com/

Quiñenco S.A

https://www.quinenco.cl/en/

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