An Unsustainable Business Model

Earlier this year, CEB reported that one of the most significant challenges facing law departments is transforming the skills and workflows of their legal teams.  The implications are profound for both in-house counsel and their clients.  Over the last 20 years, corporate counsel have worked hard to establish their value to the company.  In earlier days, this meant establishing a less-expensive version —typically 60% less expensive— of a commercial law firm. There were instances of course when in-house counsel added value to the company with their expertise in regulatory matters and industry-specific knowledge.  In most cases, litigation was referred to external counsel and commercial work was in-sourced.