Opinion

Legal Is from Mars, Security Is from Venus

When the security team and corporate lawyers get together, it's usually a rocky relationship.

By David H. Holtzman

One of the chief strengths of lawyers is that they're interpersonally simpatico with the MBA crowd. When they bring up a problem at a meeting, you can be sure they've "socialized" it first. Security officers can adapt this strategy for their own purposes by reviewing their proposed policies with a pseudo-legal eye, suggesting caveats as part of the package, and ideally, asking legal to help with the wording.

Like vinegar and oil, sharp security doesn't mix well with contractual grease. The clashing between the two is not only distasteful but can ultimately neutralize the security guru because inevitably he will lose. The smart and sophisticated CSO, knowing this, will take the best of both and add a grain of salt.

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