Expectations, Budgets and What You Should Expect Outside Counsel to do Without Even Asking

When the legal economy slowed in recent years, and outside counsel opportunities shrunk, many firms and lawyers became monolithic devotees to “whatever the client wants.” From wide-ranging alternative fee arrangements to extraordinary efforts to impress and please inside counsel, many legal relationships became a one-way full court press on inside counsel’s expectations. What we know from real life, however, is that the most productive and efficacious relationships are both more nuanced and more participatory. Inside counsel is obviously the client and undeniably “the boss,” but here is a more refined look at what you should expect from your outside counsel’s approach to her relationship with you.