Make the Rules or Your Rivals Will

Richard Shell describes in a very organized and systematic way how legal moves can impact the firm's profitability for the short and long term. Legal is viewed as a key component of a strategy. Numerous relevant examples are provided by the author to demonstrate "law making in action". The perfect balance between theory and concrete examples contributes greatly to the clarity of the book. Excellent book, so good that I had to read it twice.

There are many wise lessons in this book. In some ways, it has a zen or eastern quality in that it doesn't shy away from the hard reality of business. Instead of moralizing (so common today in the wake of the Enron, Worldcom messes) it says, this is the way it is, and this is how you can prosper in this type of an environment. It is like a survival book for a jungle fighter in the middle of a guerrilla war. Very useful and practical.

Dr. Shell has written an excellent book that opened my eyes regarding the central role legal strategies have played - and will continue to play - in American business. Indeed, the reality is that business is conducted in an environment with many constraints that need to be considered. Those business leaders treating legal questions in an ad hoc fashion or tactically may find that they have been out maneuvered by a competitor and left with few, or at least painfully expensive, options.I especially appreciated Dr. Shell's writing style that illustrated the principles of law involved without bogging down in difficult legal language. His explanation of the difficulties of tort reform was the clearest I have ever come across.I believe this book should be required reading for emerging MBA students and new managers alike.If you're not using your legal team as an active advisor to your business management group, you may revise that after reading this book.

Dr. Shell has written an excellent book that opened my eyes regarding the central role legal strategies have played - and will continue to play - in American business. Indeed, the reality is that business is conducted in an environment with many constraints that need to be considered. Those business leaders treating legal questions in an ad hoc fashion or tactically may find that they have been out maneuvered by a competitor and left with few, or at least painfully expensive, options. I especially appreciated Dr. Shell's writing style that illustrated the heart of the principles of law involved without bogging down in difficult legal language. I believe this book should be required reading for emerging MBA students and new managers alike. If you're not using your legal team as an active advisor to your business management group, you may revise that after reading this book.

Confession - I do the occasional work as an IT Advisor for a Global Lobbying group, and I wish I'd read this book a few years ago, I could have been doing my job better.This is not an apologia for Lobbyists, it represents both sides of the fence. Some excellent case histories, such as when FDR re-scheduled Thanksgiving, and when Margarine had to be coloured pink.It is not US-centric, it does contrast & compare many US & International customs, practices & procedures, and is comprehensive, covering many different Industries.I liked the story in the Chapter on Litigation, how the Ancient Greeks discouraged Appeals : if you lost your appeal, you could be sold as a slave - nice idea we could do with today, to stop time-wasting.