"After 20 years of practicing law, I found myself nodding my head at every turn.  This is exactly what law school doesn’t teach you and is not intuitive." - Partner at Akin Gump.
See more testimonials below!

I’m David Sclar

Author of Workplace Strategies for Technology Lawyers: 36 Practical Tips on How to Communicate More Effectively, Work More Efficiently, and Give Better Advice as In-House Counsel at a Tech Company​

For too long, the only way to know what it takes to be a tech company lawyer was to be a tech company lawyer. This book is meant to help change that.

And author of 5 Reasons Why You May Not Want to Be an In-House Counsel (And 10 Strategies for Succeeding in the Role Anyway)
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This ebook tells a more complete story of the tradeoffs of working in house and how to make the most of in-house careers.
Buy the #1 Amazon Bestselling book Workplace Strategies for Technology Lawyers from Amazon:
Kindle eBook  |  Paperback
Buy 5 Reasons Why You May Not Want to Be an In-House Counsel (And 10 Strategies for Succeeding in the Role Anyway) from Amazon
Kindle eBook
  • Learn more about me
  • Learn more about the books​
  • ​Read press about the books
  • Listen to David and Tim Parilla from LinkSquares on the Cockpit Counsel podcast
  • Listen to the Counsel to Counsel podcast, Episode 66-Going In-house with David Sclar
  • Listen to the podcast Writer on the Side - Ep. 068 David Sclar on Hitting the Amazon Bestseller list with his First Book
  • Read a companion article that I published in The Washington Lawyer from the DC Bar
  • Contact me - I'm available for speaking, advising, and questions.
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Testimonials about Workplace Strategies for Technology Lawyers
From biglaw partners, recruiters, and in-house counsel, and business
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Darin Morgan, Partner and Managing Partner, Philadelphia at Major, Lindsey & Africa

David Sclar provides readers with a veritable guide on what it takes to be an effective in-house attorney for tech companies, offering nuts-and-bolts practical advice on day-to-day life and issues that such attorneys are likely to encounter. This is a must-read for any attorney seeking to move in-house with a technology company- it will open your eyes and help you understand exactly what you will be getting yourself into. Perhaps more importantly, it will help you decide if such a role is the right fit for your personality and career.
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Robert Lord, Partner at Lionbird and co-founder of Protenus

Really loved this book, and would want any attorney that worked with me to read it. 
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Thora Johnson, Partner at Orrick
Insightful guidance from an experienced and battle tested in-house tech lawyer.  Not only is this book a must read for new in-house tech counsel, but a reminder to veteran in-house counsel in all fields and their law firm advisers.  David Sclar offers simple, straight forward practical advice on how lawyers can partner with their business folks to find valued solutions.  His advice about understanding “context” and finding “closure” are necessary ingredients in establishing a successful relationship with business partners. ​
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Shannon Yavorsky, Partner at Orrick
​A great resource for in-house and firm lawyers alike. This manual is highly readable and provides actionable recommendations for all technology lawyers. It is full of solid tips for succeeding as a practitioner and effectively working with all parts of a business.
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Natasha Kohne, Partner at Akin Gump and co-head of the cybersecurity, privacy and data protection practice.

This is so much more than a “what they don’t teach you in law school” book.
The book lays out nearly every essential, non-intuitive skill needed to effectively provide legal advice and service tech companies.
Most notably, it focuses on how to be a valued partner -- not a cost center -- and demystifies one of the most important and least understood industries in the world.
Concise, well organized, easy-to-understand and at times funny, this book is a gem for any lawyer who wishes to earn the respect of her/her business colleagues and to assist in achieving company goals.
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Carl Grant, Former Executive Vice President - Global Business Development at Cooley LLP


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Workplace Strategies for Technology Lawyers should be required reading for law students. It contains very practical advice that can be used by attorneys across practice areas and at any stage of their career. It is applicable for in-house attorneys as well as those practicing at a firm.
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Troy Cahill, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at LaserShip, Inc.

Workplace Strategies for Technology Lawyers provides in-house technology lawyers a vast array of tools to provide accurate and timely solutions to their clients.  It also makes the important, and often overlooked, point that while fundamental legal skills are table stakes, cultural fit and business acumen are mandatory to be a consummate in-house practitioner.  Ultimately, the book provides powerful and useful tools that technology lawyers, really all lawyers, will enjoy and benefit from.
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Joe Ashkouti, Managing Senior Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer at Change Healthcare

​“Going from a law firm to an in-house practice is a bit like going from a medical specialty practice to the hospital emergency department.  You have to make decisions quickly, without 100% of the information, and sometimes with minimal resources.  Common sense, business acumen, and a good mentor (if you’re lucky) teach you about the in-house practice of law, but that takes years.  David gives the starting in-house practitioner a jump-start on the learning process and the veteran practitioner a good reminder of what strategies work best to build an in-house practice.  I definitely wish I had a book like this when I started my in-house legal career.”