Frequently, law departments try to select and maintain a handful of lawyers at a firm to work on their matters. A core team makes sense, since its members and the law department lawyers develop familiarity and trust. Even so, a strictly-defined team poses problems when an emergency arises that demands more boots on the ground or specialization. What is the process to expand the team’s membership, if only temporarily or during a major project?
Some law departments have to accept the new timekeepers before their e-billing system approves their time. Other departments just want to be advised of the temporary newcomers. An alternative to a core team looks to see whether 80 percent of the hours or value is billed by 20 percent of the firm’s timekeepers who work on the client’s matters.