Who doesn’t like great customer service? Corporate counsel are no exception. Yet, a 2022 report from Wolters Kluwer reveals that only 43% of legal departments report being “very satisfied” with their law firms. A sobering statistic, particularly in light of the fact that these departments are inundated with messages from their outside counsel touting how they are responsive and focused on being true partners.

So, why the disconnect? Partly, it’s the nature of how law firms are structured – with partnerships, practice groups, strict hierarchies and different offices. And as every legal department knows too well, there is also the billable hour model, which doesn’t lend itself to efficiencies or innovations. And many law firm attorneys mistakenly equate thorough legal advice with client service, because they don’t understand the pressures that in-house counsel face from their bosses, colleagues and unrelenting budget constraints.