“Less than three-fourths of in-house counsel involved in convergence (68%) state that the strategy met their expectations, with a significant minority stating that the process did not meet expectations (25%), and a much smaller number stating that it exceeded expectations.” The quote comes from the 2008 ACC/Serengeti Managing Outside Counsel…
A gaggle of companies offer to review bills of law firms (See my post of Dec. 4, 2006: cottage industry of legal bill auditors; Dec. 16, 2007 #2: a law firm that reviews bills; Feb. 20, 2007: John Toothman; and April 16, 2007: Stuart Maue and huge amounts audited.). Generally,…
Most of the observations on this blog about timekeepers have to do with too many timekeepers billing on matters (See my post of June 27, 2007: Pareto’s law and the number of timekeepers on matters; Nov. 8, 2005: number of timekeepers on a matter; March 28, 2005: rule of thumb…
All general counsel think about getting discounts from at least some of their law firms. Two collections of posts here have addressed many considerations about discounts (See my post of Nov. 26, 2006: discounts with 15 references; and Jan. 21, 2008: 10 more posts on variations on discounts.). I even…
My research into the antiquities of law department benchmarks unearthed an Altman Weil Special Report, dated 1982. A quarter century ago it reported data on 96 companies that had $1-$2 billion in revenue (possibly $5-10 billion dollars today). Dividing the outside counsel spending figures given by the mid-point of the…
The basic benchmark metrics relied on by general counsel change very little over time (See my post of Dec. 7, 2007: stability of staffing benchmarks.). For example, I exhumed an Altman Weil Special Report, dated 1982, that presented data on 96 companies that had $1-$2 billion in revenue (1982 dollars,…
Broadly speaking, my preferred approach to change in law departments has three components: (1) dive in without over-thinking, (2) encourage emergent change from the ground up that is flexible and multi-pronged, and (3) honor kaizen, the constant tinkering – or rubbishing – of practices to improve them. One way to…
Terms of disparagement slouch in every time you read about the last stage of a competitive bid: when the finalists bring their team members to meet with the selection group from the law department. Whether it is a “beauty contest,” a “dog-and-pony show,” a “beauty parade,” or a “Wizard of…
If projections come true, five years from now law departments’ efforts to have law firms compete for their work are foreseen will be only somewhat more common. Surveyed on Legal OnRamp, (See my post of Sept. 21, 2008: social networks with 7 references.). 84 lawyers responded who work at companies…
My sense is that adherence to the venerable Uniform Task-Based Management System codes is declining (See my post of April 20, 2008: precursor to the code system; Dec. 1, 2006: criticize UTBMS efforts; and May 1, 2006: shrinking usage of codes.). Those who debate the merits of the UTBMS can…