A consequence of convergence, not just unhappy lawyers but also disgruntled clients

In-house attorneys may fume when told they cannot hire any longer the trusted, familiar counsel they used to, that they must transition work to the large and unfamiliar winners of a preferred counsel contest. Ruptured are the long-standing relationships, gone are the modest bills from dedicated partners cast-away are the institutional histories,

Internal clients of the law department likewise feel pain. They too had broken in the new shoes long ago and were comfortable with the advice and style of the familiar partner. They too suffer disruption and unfamiliarity with the replacements at an unknown (and probably far away) firm. As a final indignity, clients might have to foot higher bills. The angst of lopping off familiar firms spreads from the law department to its clients.