Most importantly, it has the potential to increase the percentage of business a corporation gives to your firm. Most corporate law departments spread their work around. It stands to reason that if a firm makes it more convenient to do business by improving on its tools for collaboration and communication, it will be favorably considered for a larger share of the corporation's legal representation when the law department budget planning cycle begins each year. Senior Session participants agreed that this is a desirable goal. As the business community faces global expansion, law firms find themselves facing the pressure to go where the business is.
Communication is more challenging.
Consistency of legal service becomes more important. Finally, the business and legal problems that corporations face are growing more complex, in turn requiring that its outside counsel be diverse and proactive. This trend is fueling the growth of the Big Five multi-disciplinary practices in competing with law firms to handle legal work. As the legal industry matures, consolidation is also a natural outcome. As a result, many believe that boutique and mid-sized firms will have difficulty surviving.