Forum In response to “How to Succeed as In-House Counsel” by Kelly C. Scanlon: Ms. Scanlon’s advice for in-house coun-sel is spot-on. Although unspoken in her article, each of those tips for success is part of a larger theme: Strategy. This theme is most clearly reflect-ed in her statement that “[i]n-house lawyers are . . . one part of a much bigger whole.” Just as in-house counsel must understand their role in assisting organizational strategy, they must view their own legal duties through a strate-gic lens. For the in-house practitioner, mere tactics won’t suffice, because each piece of advice, each training delivered (or not), each memorandum, and yes, each settlement, creates organizational precedent that will shape the behaviors of each unit. Those behaviors either contribute to or mitigate the aggregate risk to the organization. It takes time and effort to lay the groundwork for this long-term ap-proach but doing so can lend extra credibility to in-house counsel’s advice, even when unpopular. As organizations make difficult choices to weather, and recover from, the economic impact of COVID-19, strategic guidance of in-house counsel will be vital. James Thomas Koebel Associate General Counsel, University of North Carolina Wilmington Letters Send your letter to the editor to: norman@vsb.org or Virginia State Bar Virginia Lawyer Magazine 1111 E Main St., Suite 700 Richmond, VA 23219-0026 Letters published in Virginia Lawyer may be edited for length and clarity and are subject to guidelines available at www.vsb.org/site/ publications/valawyer/ . Jest Is For All by Arnie Glick 6 VIRGINIA LAWYER | April 2020 | Vol. 68 www.vsb.org