Lawyers as (Good and Bad) Deal Killers

Karrass at Negotiation Space writes:

Lawyers are great deal killers. If you tried to bargain away every danger the lawyers foresaw, the negotiation would never end. ...

Lawyers, nevertheless, had an important function in reviewing the final contract.  They found areas in which our company vulnerability was too high for comfort. They left us to decide whether we could live with the potential danger or if we needed greater protection. Our decision was made on the basis of the other side’s track record as a reliable seller and their willingness to relieve our vulnerability by granting necessary warranties.

The trouble with these deal-killers is that they are far removed from the real marketplace, while the salesperson is on the front line with buyers every day.