“How do your company’s core values translate to the legal function?”
“Core values are the lens through which everyone is judged.”
We’re in the sports entertainment business. We own, operate, manage and consult
with affiliated Minor League Baseball franchises. In communities throughout the
United States, Minor League Baseball teams are regarded as a public trust and
asset, even though they are typically privately owned and operated. We take the
public dimension of our business very seriously, and our core values reflect this
aspect of our business:
• We provide quality family entertainment.
• We deliver unsurpassed customer service.
• We encourage community involvement.
• We provide our sponsors with a solid return on their investment.
• We supply an affordable yet high-quality product.
Baseball is woven into the tapestry of our country. In this business, every “touch”—
whether with customers, suppliers, co-investors and other business partners, or the
community at large—must be of the highest quality.
How does this translate for the legal function? First, our core values are so ingrained
that our senior management expects everyone in the organization, including the
lawyers, to reflect those values in the way they discharge their functions. It’s the lens
through which everyone is viewed and judged. Whether we are dealing with internal
clients or external business partners, we provide the same level of unsurpassed
customer service. Second, our work product has to be of the highest quality. Third, our
value proposition must justify the corporate overhead imposed on our teams. And when
we do interact with our fans, ticket holders, sponsors and partners in Major League
Larry S. Freedman
Executive Vice President
Mandalay Baseball Properties, LLC
Baseball, they have to walk away feeling positively about their “touches” from legal.
This list could go on because our core values form our mindset in all of our dealings.
They make us better lawyers for our business.
Los Angeles, CA
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