How I Became The Lawyer My Product Team Trusts
I couldn’t counsel effectively on something I didn’t truly understand. The post How I Became The Lawyer My Product Team Trusts appeared first on Above the Law.
The first time an engineer told me, “You actually get it,” I felt like I’d earned a badge of honor. That comment didn’t come out of nowhere. It was the result of months spent diving deep into the guts of their product, asking questions, breaking features on purpose, and learning as much as I could.
Early in my career, I noticed my legal advice often stalled out. It wasn’t because it was wrong but because it didn’t resonate. I realized the issue: I couldn’t counsel effectively on something I didn’t truly understand. That moment changed my approach as a product counsel.
Here’s how I earned my product team’s trust by learning the product inside out — and how you can, too.
Start With Curiosity
It’s easy to skim a product spec or watch a demo and call it a day. But that only scratches the surface.
When I started working with a SaaS team, I insisted on using the product myself. I clicked every button, broke features intentionally, and asked why certain decisions were made. Then I shadowed customer support to hear what users complained about.
This wasn’t just a technical exercise—it was emotional. I learned what frustrated users, why certain features were critical, and how legal could help the team deliver a better experience.
Takeaway: Spend time using the product and listening to its users. The insights you gain will make your advice sharper and more relevant.
Learn Just Enough Tech To Speak Their Language
When I first heard the word “API” in a meeting, I nodded along and Googled it later. But instead of stopping there, I asked the engineers to explain it in plain language. That opened the door to learning about coding basics, data flows, and how the product’s backend worked.
I’m not a developer, but understanding the fundamentals helps me give practical advice. I can suggest feasible solutions and avoid asking for changes that would derail the team’s efforts.
Takeaway: You don’t need to code, but learning the basics of your product’s tech earns credibility and improves collaboration.
Walk In The User’s Shoes
Legal risks don’t exist in a vacuum — they’re part of the user experience. One of my most valuable exercises was mapping out the customer journey for a fintech app. When I noticed our terms were buried in fine print, I flagged it as both a compliance issue and a poor user experience.
We redesigned the flow to make the terms accessible and easy to understand. The result? Happier customers and reduced legal risk.
Takeaway: Seeing the product through the user’s eyes helps you address risks in ways that benefit everyone — customers, teams, and the business.
Understand The ‘Why’
Legal isn’t just about features; it’s about strategy. When I worked on a health care tool designed for international markets, I needed to understand the company’s vision for expansion. Knowing their goals helped me focus on cross-border data compliance and international agreements rather than less critical issues.
Takeaway: Align your advice with the product’s larger goals. It shows you’re invested in the business, not just the risks.
Stay Ahead Of The Roadmap
I once missed a key feature in development because I wasn’t looped in early enough. By the time I saw it, it was too late to address a compliance issue without costly changes.
Now, I make it a point to attend roadmap meetings and have informal chats with product managers. This helps me flag risks before they snowball into problems.
Takeaway: Build relationships so the team naturally involves you early. Proactive advice is more effective than reactive fixes.
Translate Legal Speak Into Action
Generic advice like “be mindful of privacy laws” doesn’t help anyone. Instead, I break things down. For example, I might say, “Let’s update the consent flow to meet GDPR requirements,” and include annotated screenshots to make it clear.
Takeaway: The easier you make your advice to act on, the more your team will trust and rely on you.
Advocate For The Team
When you understand the product, you can be more than a legal advisor — you can be an advocate. I’ve defended design choices to executives, explained technical details to regulators, and celebrated product wins.
These moments build trust and show the team you’re invested in their success.
Takeaway: Advocacy strengthens relationships and positions you as a true partner.
Keep Learning
Building trust with your product team isn’t a one-time effort. As products evolve and challenges arise, staying curious and engaged ensures your advice remains relevant and valuable.
For more strategies on bridging the gap between legal and product innovation, check out my book, “Product Counsel: Advise, Innovate, and Inspire.” It’s filled with actionable insights to help lawyers like you become trusted partners in building better products.
Have you had a moment where understanding the product made all the difference?
I’d love to hear your story — let’s keep the conversation going.
Olga V. Mack is a Fellow at CodeX, The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, and a Generative AI Editor at law.MIT. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat, Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security, and Blockchain Value: Transforming Business Models, Society, and Communities. She is working on three books: Visual IQ for Lawyers (ABA 2024), The Rise of Product Lawyers: An Analytical Framework to Systematically Advise Your Clients Throughout the Product Lifecycle (Globe Law and Business 2024), and Legal Operations in the Age of AI and Data (Globe Law and Business 2024). You can follow Olga on LinkedIn and Twitter @olgavmack.
The post How I Became The Lawyer My Product Team Trusts appeared first on Above the Law.
