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5 VIPs for an In-House Counsel's Holiday Gift List

By Andrew Lu on December 03, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

The holiday season is upon us and you are likely getting ready to purchase gifts for friends, loved ones, and colleagues. As most in-house counsel know, holiday gift-giving may mean a lot more than simply sending your best wishes to someone else.

Instead, if you forget to send a gift to someone you work closely with, you could get your relationship off to the wrong start for the next year.

You likely encounter a variety of people in your day-to-day work life. While it is nearly impossible to buy gifts for all of them, here are five very important people you should not forget:

  1. CEO. If it seems tacky or brown-nosing to send a gift to your CEO, so be it. You don't have to purchase the most lavish gift, but a simple gift or a note may be enough to thank your boss for supporting your work.

  2. Outside Firms. Even though they charge an arm and a leg for their services, you may still want to thank your outside counsel for any outstanding work they may have done. You may be surprised, but even attorneys making six figures are grateful to receive a fruit basket or free cookies.

  3. Mentor. There may be no lonelier legal position than that of general counsel. Unlike your law firm brethren, you may not be surrounded by an office full of lawyers. As a result, you may rely upon a mentor to help you with your tough legal questions. Make sure to send your appreciation this holiday season.

  4. Support Staff. You know how much you rely upon your secretary and other support staff, so express your gratitude this holiday season. And unlike the other individuals on this list, your support staff may actually count on your gift each holiday season as part of their compensation.

  5. IT Guy. Probably the only time you talk to your IT guy is when you have a problem. But when you do have a problem, there may be no more important person in the office than your IT guy. So give him (or her) a gift and express your gratitude.

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