Particularly with recurring transactions such as leases and construction contracts, which may be handled to some extent by the client’s non-legal members, outside counsel can create value for its corporate clients with in-house training that:

(1)  provides standards for uniformity in process and work product;

(2)  designates provisions for documents or policies that the client has identified as absolutes that should inform preliminary negotiations;

(3)  identifies the variations in absolute provisions or in standard provisions that will require additional internal client approvals which may impact process timing;

(4)  identifies critical terms or recurring issues with a contract or transaction and provides context for understanding why certain approaches to these terms and issues may be preferable with regard to outcomes desired by the client;

(5)  provides clarity on process in order to inform expectations, provide certainty regarding timing, and enhance collaboration among client’s non-legal members, in-house counsel, and outside counsel.

We customarily offer such in-house trainings to our corporate clients on a complimentary basis.  We have found that such trainings enhance the collaborative nature of our relationship with our in-house counsel, enhance our effectiveness to the client, and create measurable value to our client in the form of reduced fees, improved processing time, communication, and collaboration.

If you have questions, please contact Lisa Stalteri at (650) 342-9600 or lstalteri@carr-mcclellan.com.