Close
Login to MyACC
ACC Members


Not a Member?

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the world's largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations, nonprofits and other private-sector organizations around the globe.

Join ACC

PCLM Group, Inc. v. David Drexler, Brief of ACC, Cal. Ct. App., 10/1998. This brief discusses the right of corporate clients to choose counsel of their own choice to represent them. The corporate client's decision process to "make or buy" legal services is illustrative of the fact the cost of legal services rendered by in-house counsel to a corporate client are real and expenses incurred by corporations for their in-house legal services are not only significant, but are compensable by a court. Law firm costs and law department costs are not very different and in fact, they only differ in that the former bills/profits from its costs and the latter absorbs/expenses it's costs. Additionally, it is appropriate to award fees to in-house counsel by the same standard that outside counsel fee awards are compensated and equal pay for equal work is an equitable and reasonable standard. The award of a reasonable, market-price fee to a client using in-house counsel is not barratry, fee-sharing, unauthorized practice, or the inappropriate practice of law by a corporation.

Download
Region: United States
The information in any resource collected in this virtual library should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on specific facts and should not be considered representative of the views of its authors, its sponsors, and/or ACC. These resources are not intended as a definitive statement on the subject addressed. Rather, they are intended to serve as a tool providing practical advice and references for the busy in-house practitioner and other readers.
ACC