This article appeared in Cybersecurity Law & Strategy, an ALM publication for privacy and security professionals, Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Corporate Counsel, Internet and Tech Practitioners, In-House Counsel. Visit the website to learn more.

The relationship between in-house corporate counsel and outside law firm counsel is undergoing significant changes in today's environment. When companies were faced with lawsuits and investigations in the past, they relied on law firms to manage many aspects of their cases. In-house counsel had their own jobs to do and law firm attorneys possessed the knowledge and expertise to focus on discovery, trial preparation and litigation. In-house counsel worked closely with their law firm counterparts throughout the matter, but for the most part corporate attorneys allowed outside counsel to take the lead on the management of individual matters and paid the bills that were submitted. While legal departments may have grumbled over fees, they often accepted the billable hours and trusted the processes of outside counsel.