I have found that mutual respect is the best course of action for general counsel. To confirm my theory, I spoke with three people whose life experiences can be useful when going into an M&A negotiation: venture capitalist Chris Sacca, journalist Cal Fussman, and an American football executive David Cohen.

Companies have already begun to seek alternatives to the limited space and high salaries of Silicon Valley. Two cities that have distinguished themselves as logical alternatives are Nashville and Montreal.

To get more insight on lawyers who transitioned into sports operations with major league teams, I spoke to Julien Brisebois, assistant general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Kevin Gilmore, former EVP of the Montreal Canadiens. Both began their careers as lawyers and transitioned into an operational role.

I reached out to three very different, yet equally successful entrepreneurs, all of whom began their careers as lawyers or during law school: Chris Sacca, Mitch Garber, and Anna Santeramo.

This article offers practical tips and tools to a general counsel about to embark on the adventure that is a startup — allowing one to adapt to the culture and add value.