Media of all sorts are replete with predictions of a changing world for law firms and their clients. From the perspective of the next generation of in-house counsel, I add my voice to that rather loud chorus. My own views have been influenced and amplified by the experiences I have had through years of involvement with multiple chapters of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). That period of service (and my natural predilection to schmooze) has allowed me fantastic access to countless in-house attorneys of my generation. These interactions have one thing in common:
Each person I speak with, at some point in time, seeks some sort of change in the way we practice law. Certainly, my in-house brethren and I know how to make our voices heard. In blogs, articles and panels nationwide we vent about billing horror stories. And while “consumer discontent” can fuel movement, advancing beyond the “complaint phase” is what will truly spur a cleaner, vitriol-free dialogue.
