Outside Counsel Relationships

Great outside attorneys know that a big part of their job is making in-house attorneys look good.  These outside attorneys tend to be long-term, trusted allies of a business.  These are the lawyers you call in an emergency, or just to kick an idea around.  They know what you expect, what you’ll like, and what you’ll hate.

But like all relationships, it takes a while to get there.  And since not all outside attorneys are created equal, some may never get there.  

Drawing from deep experience on all sides of the attorney-client relationship in many contexts, Grindstone helps businesses understand what to expect from their outside attorneys.  Grindstone can also help design and implement tools for managing outside counsel relationships – from tailoring outside counsel and billing guidelines, to negotiating discounts and alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), establishing budgets and evaluating work product, vetting new lawyers assigned to your account, invoice review, and avoiding conflicts.