You Can Hand Off the Work. You Can’t Hand Off the Risk.

July 14, 2026 by Pat Smith

Pat Smith, Colorado transactional attorney and outside general counsel

Part of my job as general counsel is protecting a company from risk it doesn’t control but still ends up owning. And here’s the thing — the highest-risk matters are almost never the ones a company handles itself. They’re the ones it hands to somebody else and then has to answer for anyway. Say your … Read more

“Best Friends in High School” Gets You Nowhere When You Disagree About Your Business

June 22, 2026June 22, 2026 by Pat Smith

Most small businesses start the same way: two friends with a common vision decide to build something together. They respect each other’s judgment. They respect each other’s skills. They trust each other completely — and that trust is exactly what makes them willing to take the leap. What often gets overlooked in that moment is … Read more