Michael Dillon likes data-driven decisions, and so does Adobe Systems Inc., which sells Photoshop and other creativity software and had 2014 revenues topping $4 billion. Dillon, who oversees about 110 lawyers in the department, spoke with The Recorder about what he’s looking for when he chooses a firm and how he decides which work stays in-house and what goes outside.
What do you appreciate in outside counsel and, separately, what don’t you like? What simply doesn’t work for Adobe and your legal department? That’s such a tough one. Because legal work has gotten more portable, because we can more fluidly be serviced around the world—including with lower-cost providers—and because of the growth of in-house legal departments, it’s really hard being in a law firm anymore. I have a lot of empathy for my colleagues in firms sitting on the other side of the table. When they come in, I can almost anticipate what they’re going to say. In fact, I joke about having drinking games. Every time a firm comes in that says the word “responsive,” everybody drinks a shot. The fact of the matter is, most of the firms that we consider are going to be really great firms. They’re going to be high quality, they’re going to be responsive, they’re going to have the skill sets to do the work we need.
