The job search is on for Rich Baer, general counsel and chief administrative officer for Qwest Communications International Inc. He’s decided not to stay with the Denver-based telecommunications company after its merger with CenturyTel Inc. is complete next year.

But he doesn’t plan to take it easy. On Thursday, Baer talked with CorpCounsel.com about his next career move, and shared his thoughts on some of the difficult challenges facing in-house legal departments these days.