„Can Law Provide Strategic Advantage to Companies in a Competitive Business Environment?“ – this question was explored by Professor Robert C. Bird from the University of Connecticut in his lecture titled “Pathways of Corporate Legal Strategy.” The event, organized by the US Law Center of the Faculty of Law at Vilnius University, was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Donatas Murauskas.
In his lecture, Professor Bird discussed how legal knowledge can be used strategically to enhance corporate practices, focusing on pathways that organizations can adopt to align their operations with broader societal and legal expectations. One example he highlighted was the “feminist pathway,” which includes making companies safer and more inclusive for women. He also introduced the concept of “fem-tech,” which refers to technologies specifically designed for women’s needs, such as menstrual cycle tracking apps and devices.
Professor Bird emphasized the importance of integrating legal knowledge into business practices. He argued that companies should not view legal requirements, such as gender equality policies or sustainability standards, as mere obligations or obstacles, but as opportunities to create meaningful change. For instance, he highlighted how Patagonia, a clothing company, used reverse psychology in their advertising with slogans like, “If your jacket breaks, don’t buy a new one from us, get it fixed.” This approach reinforced their core value: “The earth is our only shareholder.”
A central theme of the lecture was the need for businesses to transition from a mindset of legal avoidance to one of proactive compliance. Professor Bird described two stages of corporate behavior: compliance companies, which integrate legal requirements into their operations to avoid getting into legal trouble, and value companies, which go beyond compliance to actively promote positive values and create societal impact.
Ultimately, the lecture provided practical advice for corporate lawyers on how to make legal requirements a central part of company policies, ensuring that businesses not only follow the law but embrace it as part of their identity.