Tips and advice for Business Professionals and In-House Lawyers

Tyler Leitow

Ty Leitow

I’ve been practicing as an in-house attorney for over a decade, and my passion is in building world-class legal departments that effectively and efficiently serve the needs of the company. I’ve been fortunate to be part of some really great legal teams, and I’ve learned important lessons working in some not-so-great legal teams.

Good attorneys do the work, are practical, transparent, and ethical. Great attorneys are all of those things, but also bring something extra. Sometimes it’s special experience or insight. Other times it’s adept communication skills or a practiced empathy. For great in-house lawyers, it often comes down to having sound business judgement (in addition to having sound legal judgement) and having the ability lead without anyone knowing you’re leading.

Working in-house as an attorney means everyone comes to you when problems get serious, and they sometimes forget about you after you’ve helped them find a solution. I often joke that being an in-house lawyer is like being a janitor. Good policies and procedures help keep messes small, but regardless the size of the mess, the in-house lawyer is usually the one who’s asked to clean it up.

This website was started with two goals. First, I want to share with other lawyers the lessons and best practices I’ve learned over the years. Newer in-house lawyers will benefit the most from this website, but seasoned general counsels may also pick up a trick or two. Second, I want to provide basic legal tips and guidance for non-attorneys.

Whether it’s reviewing a contract, trying to build a compliance program, or negotiating the next big deal, business professionals and in-house lawyers often do not have the legal support they need. The ultimate goal of this website is to help bridge the gap between the known and the unknown. 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you find value in the blogs and videos.

Let’s connect on LinkedIn.

Current Role

General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer for Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd’s global OE businesses based in the United States.

Education

  • 2007: Graduated with Honors from Central Michigan University, B.S., Pyschology and Criminal Justice (double major)

  • 2011: Graduated with Honors from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D., Law

  • 2016: Graduated with Honors from Washtnenaw Community College, A.A.S., Accounting

  • 2022: Graduated with Honors from Amberton University, M.B.A., Strategic Leadership

Practice Areas

  • Strategic leadership

  • Complex contract negotiation, review and drafting

  • Contract Lifecycle Management

  • Finance transactions

  • Cross-department project management

  • Mergers & acquisitions

  • Commercial real estate

  • Outside counsel management

  • Intellectual property

  • Employment and labor matters

  • Compliance and regulatory matters

  • Corporate governance

  • Creating and improving processes and procedures

  • Legal training and education

Industries

  • Automotive (both OEM and Tier-1 Supplier)

  • Manufacturing

  • Technology (hardware, software and services)

  • Renewable Energy

  • Commercial Banking

  • Equipment Finance