Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Masarap Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan

It's fun to be foreign counsel in the jurisdiction where you're licensed because:

(OMG, that was such a nerdy thing to say, but I've been having so much fun these last few days!)

1. You know local law and know when local counsel is wrong or when they are trying to impress.

2. You understand the local language; the client and local counsel (or anyone else for that matter) can't just jump to the local dialect to throw you off or insult you. (Believe me, I did this a lot on deals with foreign counsel.)

3. Local delicacies are actual treats and not things straight out of Fear Factor.

4. I now know the meaning of "Go ahead, have the 16 oz. steak, you can expense it."

5. People assume you're a foreigner and speak to you in broken English.

6. You get to wear a suit all day and feel important wearing the monogrammed shirt you couldn't wear when you were local counsel (because no one else did and you felt sort of stupid).

7. Your contracts are so well bound, they would make the staff at Kinko's (or InterMatrix) cry.

8. You feel like you're always pushing the deal forward.

9. The counterparty's foreign counsel respects you right off the bat.

And my favorite reason of all...

10. The local lawyers defer to your judgment.


PS. I am dork. Ignore me.

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