153% cost difference between NYC, Phoenix lawyers

On a national average basis, the typical law firm partner hourly rate is $749, up about 6% from two years ago, according to data based on actual billing amounts.

By Robert Freedman • Oct. 13, 2022

Understanding top business objectives is key for legal ops leaders

Legal operations chiefs also need to be ready to pivot quickly when business needs change, experienced legal professionals said during a recent webinar.

By Lyle Moran • Oct. 11, 2022

Banks contained outside counsel spend in 2021

Financial services companies tend to have invested more in rate management than other industries with some success, according to a new Wolters Kluwer report. 

By Lyle Moran • Oct. 7, 2022

Common tech tools can aid legal holds but they’re not optimal

A tool that has in-place preservation, for example, can reduce data security exposure, specialists say.

By Robert Freedman • Oct. 3, 2022

Legal talent platform launches its own mobile app

Lawtrades said the new application will help quickly connect in-house legal departments with freelance talent. 

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 30, 2022

Clean data, cultural awareness key to legal ops transition in merger

Knowing what data you have, where it is, and what needs to be transferred helps make a difficult process easier, says the new legal ops chief at MGM Resorts.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 29, 2022

Legal ops roles require soft skills

A familiarity with project management and legal technology also come in handy for those wanting to transition to legal operations, according to experts.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 28, 2022

Data management a key focus of legal department transformation efforts

Automation is also a major area of investment for in-house teams pursuing change, according to a report from the ACC and DISCO.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 27, 2022

Taking a broad approach to help over-worked in-house attorneys

Adding tech and tweaking processes to maximize in-house attorney work without integration with the broader business isn’t the best way to go, specialists say.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 27, 2022

Legal ops teams are small but growing

Staff to help in-house legal teams operate more efficiently are prevalent at a wide array of companies, and more legal departments plan to add ops teams in the years to come. 

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 26, 2022

$3.1M median pay for large public-company general counsel

About 25% of what top in-house lawyers make is in salary. Most is tied to performance, both company and their own, Equilar data show.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 20, 2022

Why Lawtrades shifted its focus to serving mid-market and enterprise companies

The platform has seen rapid growth since redefining its target customers and expanding the type of professionals available to work with in-house legal teams.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 14, 2022

General Counsel gets lawyer tech buy-in using ‘wrap-around’ technique

By easing in new systems so benefits can be seen immediately, legal ops can get hold-outs to adopt changes on their own.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 14, 2022

Largest companies buck trend of outside law firm consolidation

A Wolters Kluwer report also found that use of alternative providers remained steady during a 36% increase in overall external legal spend last year.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 13, 2022

A CLM provider and procurement solution have joined forces

Ironclad and Zip say their integration will protect legal departments’ time and and help companies strengthen their procurement workflows.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 12, 2022

Thrown into legal ops, a former asset manager tapped his project, budgeting skills

The analytical skills David Evans of Nextdoor developed at a real estate company translated well to his responsibilities managing systems for in-house attorneys.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 12, 2022

Charging a flat fee for legal work on contracts

A contract management company believes its alternative fee approach better incentivizes lawyer efficiency and tech usage than the billable hour.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 9, 2022

Why legal departments are hiring directors of innovation

These officials assist with technology purchases and process improvements, among other tasks often associated with legal ops.

By Lyle Moran • Sept. 7, 2022

How paralegals can make the switch to legal operations

A recent Lawtrades panel spotlighted three legal ops chiefs who say their paralegal backgrounds helped them successfully move into the growing profession.

By Lyle Moran • Aug. 24, 2022

Make the most resistant attorney your change guide, legal ops chief says

By anticipating and addressing the frustrations of your most challenging team member, you can help the function stay the course as it tries new processes and tools. 

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 15, 2022

Law firm profitability declines amid rising expenses

A slight drop in demand also contributed to profit-per-lawyer falling 3.6% last quarter, according to a Thomson Reuters report.

By Lyle Moran • Aug. 12, 2022

Narrowing its focus has fueled legal talent platform’s growth

A top Axiom official said the company’s decision to divest other business lines has allowed it to better serve companies with a variety of in-house legal needs.

By Lyle Moran • Aug. 10, 2022

Using layers to thwart network intrusions

It’s not enough to have the right tools, a specialist in the field says; you need them working together in the right way.

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 10, 2022

The ascendancy of the chief legal officer

CLOs have become entrepreneurial big-picture policy strategists as legal affairs have gained prominence in C-suite operations.

By John Roemer • Aug. 9, 2022

Legal ops investment continues even as pandemic pressures fade

What started as compulsory technology adoption to manage through the pandemic has turned into long-term investments.

By Alex Kelly • Aug. 4, 2022