Burning Issue:  Be available, responsive and flexible.

You need to be able to depend on outside counsel to be available when you need them, in the sense of being flexible and responsive.  The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted other key attributes, including agility and urgency. These can be key differentiators between success and failure. You need up-to-date information about changing conditions, emerging standards and novel risks, and so you want a highly responsive firm. Having these skills in your law firm partner helps them become more of a true extension of your legal department.