Law Department Management

Inter Alia (October 2006)

Highly dispute-savvy companies have mean internal legal department budgets that are 40 percent lower than the least dispute-savvy companies, according to a landmark 2003 study by the American Arbitration Association. New research reveals that dispute-savvy companies focus on maximizing business performance, preserving relationships with customers, employees, business partners, and suppliers, and preventing—or at least minimizing—disputes and their impact. Learn what leading practices they use in this article.

In order for in-house counsel not to find themselves the subject of the next audit committee inquiry at their company, it is vital that they know how to properly investigate and pursue internal allegations of such "white collar" crimes as fraud, theft, and corporate malfeasance. The fact that the allegation is never the only focus of a possible audit­ means how your legal department responded to the claim should be enough to get you to read the steps in handling such cases outlined here.