In-House Counsel

Refuse to pay travel-related costs if a distant firm wants to compete with good local firms

By Rees Morrison

?When a new firm without local offices wants to do work for me, and I believe that there is a good fit, I ask that they internalize all costs and attorney time associated with travel as a condition of being retained. In other words, I get their agreement to treat them as if they are local counsel with local offices so I get the benefit of the same" (See my post of May 7, 2008: travel policies for outside counsel with 7 references.).

This tough-minded position is among the 75 cost-cutting ideas in the ACC Docket, Vol. 27, March 2009 at 45, and I think it has merit. The policy allows more firms to compete on an equal footing for your business.

Full post as published by Law Department Management on March 19, 2009 (boomark / email).