Current and former in-house counsel said lack of communication by outside firms, particularly when it comes to billing and legal strategy, can damage the attorney-client relationship beyond repair.
John C. Ryan, who joined Duane Morris last September after spending eight years in-house at Aramark Corp., where he most recently served as deputy general counsel, said that while the recent push by clients for better value from their outside counsel is partly a reaction to the recession, it’s also a reflection of a new generation of more sophisticated in-house lawyers, many of whom have previous law firm experience.
