Meeting outside counsel aspiring to get on the company panel is a small but important part of my job, and one that I enjoy. I do it regularly, for a number of reasons, including I learn a great deal from these meetings; I am always looking to source the best talent and must know where to get it; I use it as a benchmarking opportunity; and outside counsel are smart, and I enjoy the company of smart people.
Whenever appropriate, I try to meet with outside counsel who want to work with us. These meetings tend to be unstructured, left to the hope that the in-house lawyer will fall prey to the partner’s charm. Some of the more adventurous counsel would bring a partner from my same hometown or alma mater — I’ve seen both, no kidding. I am often left with the impression that close to zero preparation time has been put into the meeting. Time after time, I find myself thinking, “What a wasted opportunity these meetings can be.”
