General counsel say it’s on their shoulders to set clear expectations for outside counsel—a step they say is essential in an era where many believe associates’ hourly rates are excessive and hybrid work policies have made their training more difficult.
For instance, Ben Adams, the chief legal officer of the money-transfer company Western Union, said he sets limitations on staffing by junior associates, and Tim Parilla, the CLO of the legal-software firm LinkSquares, goes into detail on how he expects work to be staffed and billed, including the seniority of associates.
