The new accountability: Why process is becoming a professional requirement in negotiation

By Hor Druma and Taylor Smith ( February 11, 2026, 3:10 PM EST) -- For decades, negotiation remained the “black box” of legal work. While research became transparent and file management became auditable, negotiation stayed insulated behind “instinct” and “professional judgment.” Those things mattered — and still do — but they were hard to explain, document and audit. That insulation used to be acceptable....