You must first win! Then we'll talk about communication and budgeting

In this InHouse Counsel issue, the writer describes a Georgia program. Outside counsel took the "hot seat" and listened to the complaints of corporate general counsel.

Some of the issues raised are:

"...
• Why outside firms are slow to send invoices but lightning-quick to demand payment.

• Why outside lawyers don't understand the business models and corporate culture of their clients.

• Why outside firms are unwilling to bend on price.

Then there was the matter of getting hired and staying hired. Charles J. Kalil, general counsel of The Dow Chemical Co., said one factor for assessing an outside law firm stood head and shoulders above all others."

... That factor is winning! This should not be a big surprise, though many of my comments in the past have merely assumed that the quality of the representation was not in issue. Here, Kalil is putting it on the line, saying that first you must win the case, then we'll talk about communication and budgeting and the other niceties!

About Ed Poll

Ed Poll is the principal of LawBiz Management. He is a nationally recognized coach, law firm management consultant and author. He practiced law on all sides of the table for 25 years – as a corporate general counsel, government prosecutor, sole practitioner, partner and law firm chief operating officer .. and as a client. He also owned and operated several manufacturing businesses.

For the last 14 years, Ed Poll has been coaching and consulting lawyers and law firms in the areas of strategic planning, profitability analysis and practice development. He has been called as an expert law firm management witness by the State Bar of California Trial Court, appointed as a Trustee of law firms convicted of disciplinary violations. He currently facilitates Managing Partners Roundtable consisting of some of the largest law firms in the country, Executive Directors Roundtable, as well as Diversity Directors Roundtable.

Sincerely yours, Rodrigo González Fernández, consultajuridica.blogspot.com