The only way to do that is by seeing the world through their eyes. If any time can be spoken of as a good time to shop for legal services, this is it. It's a buyer's market, to be sure, as competitive as a cockfight, but companies that seize this opportunity merely as a way to bargain cheaper rates are being short-sighted. In fact, they're missing the point altogether. What really makes the current market alluring is the real chance we now have to both define the kind of service we want from our lawyers, and to shop around until we get it.
Legal events follow certain patterns.
The job of the lawyer isn't simply to render legal opinions on those events, but to both understand and communicate the evolving patterns. The first service we expect from the lawyer is essential from a business standpoint because it speaks to predictability. The attorney ought to be able to articulate his or her thoughts about the outcome of a case or transaction. If the prognosis is bad, the viable option may be to settle fast. In any event, there ought to be a fully outlined game plan.