Assertion that some law departments prepare “strategy documents” regarding outside counsel usage

Jon Bellis of Thomson’s Hildebrandt group, holding forth during a recent webinar, claimed that “A relatively small number of law departments have a written strategy for retaining, using and managing outside counsel (“OC”)(as opposed to an OC policy or billing guidelines …).” Such a strategy document “might include criteria for determining the balance of inside and outside work and resources, the hiring of additional inside lawyers, the retention of OC in the selection of OC.”

I have neither seen nor heard of an outside counsel strategy document. Outside counsel guidelines flock everywhere, but not the rara avis described (See my post of July 11, 2008: guidelines for outside counsel with 16 references.).