Southern California Edison Company Law department uses a review committee to conduct annual performance reviews of law firms and create report cards, and to make recommendations on conflict waivers.
Guidelines developed by Royal Bank of Canada for their Demand Management practices used to engage outside counsel.
Valorem's customized alternative fee arrangements, and its firm structure and practices are designed to consistently deliver value to clients. Patrick Lamb discusses key elements to their approach.
Sprint-Nextel's General Counsel circulates a monthly budget report and is implementing settlement and recovery reporting to all legal staff to help the department in understanding decisions and related costs on a regular basis.
Sprint-Nextel calculates its law department costs for comparison against outside counsel costs. This has been useful in communication with the business clients and outside counsel.
Allstate's two-way performance assessment process for in-house lawyers and outside law firms is described, with links to performance surveys used by both groups.
40 Practical Ideas
Sun Microsystems has focused on an in-house training for attorneys, with its "Get Smart Training" and tiered training programs implemented by select legal functions.
Provides examples of strategies that firms can use to create a competitive advantage. Includes advice such as keeping fee rates in step with the local market, fostering collaboration, creating efficiencies, and encouraging diversity.
From the time lawyers join Howrey, they have access to personal training and coaching, carefully designed group training, and a wide array of on-line training resources that include Howrey’s own courses as well as those of the Practicing Law Institute and Harvard ManageMentor.