View from the inside What do - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

View from the inside

What do

clients want

?Slide2

Brinsley Dresden, GALA UK

Partner, Lewis Silkin LLPSlide3

William Jelinek, Estee Lauder

Vice President and Legal CounselSlide4

Amber Lavender, Wieden + Kennedy

Director of Business AffairsSlide5

Catherine Mennenga, General Electric

Counsel, Advertising & Brand ManagementSlide6

Carla Michelotti, ex Leo Burnett

President, Carla Michelotti LLC

Previously Executive Vice President and Chief Legal, Government & Corporate Affairs Officer, Leo BurnettSlide7

Client Relationship ManagementSlide8

Q1: Client relationship management

No response

1 – Not Important

3 - Important

5 - Essential

Personal chemistry

with you and your team

3

1

Managing a consistent team, with consistent standards

& approach

1

3

Providing

seminars, newsletters & other information about legal developments

2

2

Holding regular

catch-up meetings (w/o charge) to discuss recent activity & any work coming up

2

1

1

Cross-selling

other practice areas

1

3

Willingness to invest

non-chargeable time in the relationship

1

3

Partner and team’s knowledge of your business / sector

1

3

In-depth understanding of your needs and culture

1

3Slide9

Q2: What can counsel do to improve their client relationship management?

When possible, introduce new team members before assigning them work

Quick response time is always appreciated since our production timelines are compressed to ridiculousness

Listen! Learn the business as well as what will be shared about the peoples needs.

Spend time to show that you care! Knowing the law extremely well is the baseline. Slide10

Service DeliverySlide11

Q3: Service Factors

No response

1 – Not Important

3 - Important

5 - Essential

Ability to innovate and add value

4

In-depth understanding of your needs and culture

3

1

Strategic thinking – assessing risks

, setting out options and giving clear commercial recommendations

1

3

Responsiveness

and availability both during working hours and out of working hours

2

1

1

Innovative

use of technology e.g. costs update emails, extranets, virtual data rooms

2

2

Engaging

you and your team when planning transactions, litigation or other projects

2

1

1Slide12

Q4: What can outside counsel do to improve their service delivery?

Follow up with in house counsel to make sure that the advice was received and understood.

Knowledge of our culture and risk tolerance is crucial. We’re more willing to take risks than other agencies. We need to get risk assessments based on that, not the typical “you can’t do XYZ”.

Work as if you are part of the internal legal team, not as if you are a revenue producer for your law firm. Slide13

Financial ManagementSlide14

Q5: How important are the following aspects of fee management?

No response

1 – Not Important

3 - Important

5 - Essential

Clear communication

around anticipated fees, e.g. quotes and estimates

1

1

2

Billing methods

that match your preferences for format and frequency of delivery

2

2

Clear communication about levels of work-in-progress

and unbilled disbursements

1

2

1

Quotes / estimates

that are realistic, with no consistent low balling

1

2

1

Delivery

of value for money in relation to fees paid

1

2

1

Understanding your

cost base and internal cost drivers e.g. for payment terms

3

1

Proposing alternative

fee structures to hourly rates, e.g. caps, blended rates, monthly retainers

1

1

2Slide15

Q6: What can outside counsel do to improve their fee management skills?

Suggest an alternative fee arrangement if such an arrangement might be beneficial.

Understand that fees are high and be as flexible as possible. Slide16

Questions or CommentsSlide17

Our panellists…..

William,

Estee Lauder

Amber,

W+K

Catherine,

GE

Carla,

Leo BurnettSlide18

Thank you!