Articles by Rees Morrison on Legal Department Management Issues

Hot Button Issues In Outside Counsel Guidelines
New York Law Journal
, December 2008
Five areas of controversy for outside counsel guidelines, with some recommendations to resolve them

Super-Sized Law Firms
New York Law Journal, October 2008
Some of the disadvantages of retaining very large law firms

When the Law Group Spans the Oceans
Legal Times, September 2008
Challenges GCs face when they have international locations

Matching Work To Bonuses
New York Law Journal, August 2008
Ideas for and against bonus payments to law firms

Journey to the Center of Work
Legal Times, July 2008
Core competencies: what they are in legal departments and how to enhance them

Missing and Elusive Metrics
New York Law Journal, June 2008
Several benchmark metrics not yet available through surveys

A Little Off the Top
Legal Times, April 2008
Logistical and financial considerations regarding law firm discounts

The Road To Alternative Fees
New York Law Journal, April 2008
Comments on alternative fee arrangements

When Intervention Goes Too Far
New York Law Journal, February 2008
Three levels of ways that law departments should, may, and should not meddle in the management decisions of law firm partners

Why Bigger Can Be Better
Legal Times, January 2008
Explanations for why total legal spending as a percentage of revenue declines with increasing company size

Law Department Spending
Rees Morrison, Winter 2007-2008

A compilation of six articles on spending by in-house legal teams.

Most-Favored Nation: Least-Favored Arrangement
New York Law Journal, November 2007
The problems with a common request, “we want the best rates/terms you give your most favored client!”

You Should Go By the Numbers
Legal Times, November 2007
Crucial benchmarks that general counsel need to understand.

Getting to Know You
Corporate Counsel, September 2007

Tips and techniques on better Requests for Proposal (RFPs)to be sent to law firms.

Game Plan for Controlling Costs
Legal Times, September 2007
Techniques to motivate individual lawyersto pitch in an control legal costs.

Dueling Documents: Law Firm Retention Letters Versus Law Department Outside-Counsel Guidelines
New York Law Journal, September 2007
When yourguidelines and the firm’s retention policies butt heads.

Hard line or soft pedal?
Outside Counsel, Fall 2007
Two styles for drafting your outside counsel guidelines

Control of Outside Counsel Costs
Rees Morrison compilation of six articles, Summer 2007
Articles and some relevant blog posts on controlling outside counsel costs

Proving a Law Department’s Value
Legal Times, July 2007
Several methods to quantify the contribution of a legal department

Core Teams
New York Law Journal, July 2007
The technique to have a small, designated group of lawyers on your matter

The Money Flow
New York Law Journal, May 2007
More insights you can glean from analyzing invoices and spending data

Cherish the Routine Legal Services
Legal Times, May 2007
The importance of commodity, routine work and ideas for how to churn through it.

Law Department Productivity
Rees Morrison, Spring 2007
Five articles on productivity topics plus some blog postings

Practical Tips on E-Billing
New York Law Journal, March 2007
Several suggestions for how to make the most of electronic billing systems.

The Truth Behind Those ‘Firings’
Legal Times, March 2007
The myth that law departments often fire law firms they have retained.

Mavericks of the World, Unite!
Legal Times, January 2007
Several ways to boost creativity among in-house counsel

Do the Math on Your Law Firms
Legal Times, November 2006

Ideas for how to get more from your in-house review of law firm invoices.

In Legal Matters, Everyone Cares
Legal Times, September 2006
Matter management systems implemented by law departments affect many people.

How to Jump-Start Productivity
Legal Times, July 2006
Techniques for general counsel to get more out of their law departments

Management Advice Takes Off
Legal Times, May 2006
About the plethora of sources of information for general counsel on management

Put Eggs in One Basket?
Legal Times, March 2006
Convergence and the risks that it poses, plus myths demolished

Going, Going, Sold
Legal Times, January 2006
Auctions of legal services and several ways to structure them

Drowning in Contracts?
Legal Times, November 2005
A wide range of techniques to handle contracts more efficiently.

Sweet Legal Retreats
Legal Times, September 2005
Ideas to enliven retreats and offsites

Trim the Fat From Your Law Department
Legal TImes, August 2005
Quasi-legal services and their drain on your department’s productivity and morale.

The Blogosphere Revealed
Legal Times, May 2005
An early view of blawgs related to law departments

Figuring Out Who’s Next
Legal Times, March 2005
Succession planning tips for chief legal officers.

Worth the Investment
Legal Times, January 2005
Thoughts on Return on Investment (ROI) for legal team initiatives.

The Quest for the Best
Legal Times, November 2004

Challenges to the notion of best practices for law department management

Taking a Chance on More
Legal Times, September 2004

Career growth opportunities and possibilities for general counsel.

Peering Into the Future?
Legal Times, July 2004

Several suggestions for how to do strategic planning for your law department.

Law Departments – Voting Software: Beneficial, Versatile, Easy to Use, Yet Often Overlooked
Rees W. Morrison and Marsha Keefe, December 2002

How to gather data and answers by using electronic voting software.
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