Legal eagle

The Jolly Contrarian’s Glossary The snippy guide to financial services lingo.™ →Go uptown A legal eagle yesterday Index — Click the ᐅ to expand: Glossary Tell me more Sign up for our newsletter — or just get in touch: for ½ a weekly 🍺 you get to consult JC. Ask about it here.

A well-meant but nonetheless derogatory form of address used by junior people in the front office when addressing the legal department, in the sincere but mistaken belief it will ward off, and not compound, the acute resentment the legal department has for them.

For example:

“Hi Legal Eagles!!

Can you turn around this tsht for me by COB?

Thx”

Ghastly, isn’t it? Extra galling when uttered by a newly-migrated structurer who, a few short days ago, worked, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and was himself a beloved member of the legal team.

The legal eagle is actually a bird, genus lingebant ulcera pullum. It is flightless and lays nice nest-eggs.

See also

• Legal
• Sales
• Structuring