Corporate clients rely heavily on their law departments when legal issues arise. This responsibility puts no small amount of pressure on our in-house counterparts, considering that outside counsel fees can be enormous, and few nonlawyer professionals truly understand the value proposition of legal advice. Becoming a trusted adviser to the in-house team is critical to growing a fruitful partnership with your corporate clients. The following are some tips to strengthen those relationships.

Know the Business

It is a basic tenet of professionalism that knowing a client's business is necessary to understand their needs. From a customer service perspective, an outside counsel's clear comprehension of industry best practices and regulatory obligations assures corporate counsel that they hired the right lawyer. The fear of hiring the wrong outside counsel keeps in-house legal departments up at night because failing to hire the right people reflects poorly on the in-house team. Being literate in a business unit's distinct needs is the easiest way to demonstrate your commitment to a client's success. On a more pragmatic note, the more you know, the less counsel needs to explain, and anything that translates into client convenience only increases client satisfaction.