In-House Counsel

Here are the ten best from my 99 posts in June 2009. If the brief description of the post entices you, click on the post title to read it all. If you would these posts in a file, email me and I will be happy to send them to you in Word.

A calculation of value added by a law department (June 29, 2009)

One legal department?s calculation of how it saves its client corporation millions of dollars every year.

Two domestic firms for every foreign firm retained? (June 28, 2009)

A recent survey found that average US firms retained were twice the number of the average foreign firms retained.

Discounts that rise with volume suggest holdback percentages might also increase (June 26, 2009)

The approach of holding back higher and higher percentages as total fees paid to a firm on a matter increase.

What if a law department gave each attorney an allowance to pay for support? (June 24, 2009)

The possibility of creating a market for secretarial support services, where what a lawyer doesn?t spend stays with the lawyer.

How much fee detail should law firms be asked to divulge if they work on a fixed fee? (June 18, 2009)

Back and forth on billing data that a firm should disclose during a fixed-fee engagement, but my conclusion: provide it.

General counsel resoundingly feel they should also be considered the chief ethics officer (June 18, 2009)

Three-quarters of general counsel in a survey believe they should be the chief ethics officer.

A definition and short discussion of ?incumbent firms? (June 14, 2009)

Three factors define incumbency: extended time of use, wide range of services, and major fees.

A daring idea regarding a periodic alternative to hourly billing ? department decides payments periodically (June 14, 2009)

At agreed intervals, a legal department decides what it wil pay for the previous month?s work of a law firm.

More collective actions by law departments (June 10, 2009)

More than a dozen instances of joint efforts by legal departments to share collectively in some activity.

Reverse brainstorming stimulates creativity (June 1, 2009)

Reverse brainstorming stimulates people, lets them percolate, and collects their ideas afterwards.