Although the workload has increased, legal department budgets have largely remained stagnant. Some are even shrinking. Your next General Counsel needs to make the most of your in-house resources and set appropriate priorities for delegating responsibility to outside counsel when it’s most cost-effective.

The ideal candidate follows an established framework for determining when to hire outside counsel. This may include matters that require highly specialized regulatory expertise or a substantial risk. The candidate should be mindful of the department budget, understand how to source appropriately and use technology such as electronic billing wherever possible to reduce legal spending.