Even with a panel of preferred firms, it can be hard to find an expert in a narrow issue

Just because a law department assigns most of its work to a smallish number of preferred firms, there still remains a challenge when someone in the department needs to find an unusual legal specialist. When searching for a needle of expertise in the haystacks of hundreds of partners and associates, the task is daunting.

Preferred can help the law department and themselves with several actions. They can summarize their areas of arcane expertise and make that available to the department. They can come and visit to deepen the understanding of the department about their unusual pockets of experience. They can circulate articles or memos that spotlight talents that might otherwise not be known. They might even ask the law department to list potential occasional needs. All these efforts help spot the needle.