Hildebrandt Baker Robbins, a unit of Thomson Reuters, shared some data from its 2009 Law Department Survey on cost control strategies. The survey found that 73 percent of the companies have no plans to increase the use of contract/temporary staff. Only 13 percent have increased the use of contract/temporary staff while 14 percent are considering this option (See my post of Sept. 9, 2008: temporary staff with 8 references; and July 17, 2008: contract lawyers with 12 references.).
Once again, large-scale changes in how general counsel manage their legal teams seem not to be underway or imminent. Even where legal departments have “increased the use of contract/temporary staff” the cause may be unrelated to the economic downturn. It may be a planned, short-term expedient. We cannot know from the data.