Valdivia Highlights Best Practices for Outside Employment Advisers in The Legal Intelligencer

08.12.2026

Stinson LLP Partner Dawn Valdivia authored a Legal Intelligencer article examining what in-house counsel value most from outside employment advisers and how attorneys can provide more effective, business-focused guidance. Drawing on her 12 years as senior in-house employment counsel at a Fortune 100 aerospace company, Valdivia shares insights from both sides of the attorney-client relationship.

In the article, Valdivia explains that the most effective outside advisers provide more than legal analysis, they understand the business context behind the questions they receive and deliver guidance that organizations can act on. She highlights the importance of understanding business objectives, communicating in practical terms and helping clients navigate complex decisions under real-world constraints.

"The gap between what outside lawyers think clients need and what clients actually need is not about legal knowledge," Valdivia writes. "Rather, it is about understanding how that knowledge gets applied inside a business."

Valdivia also discusses how trusted advisors balance risk management with creative problem-solving, including knowing when to challenge a client's proposed approach and when to help identify a path forward. She emphasizes that employment decisions often have impacts beyond the immediate legal issue, affecting areas such as operations, employee relations and long-term business goals.

Valdivia's practice spans complex employment and labor matters that arise across the full employee lifecycle, from day-to-day workforce decision-making to high-stakes disputes. She regularly handles employment litigation, labor relations matters, workplace investigations, wage and hour compliance and litigation, restrictive covenant disputes, reductions in force, and matters involving compliance with federal and state employment laws.

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