The first chapter of this Guide , Selecting and Managing Counsel , describes an intelligent process for finding the right legal counsel for a business's needs. Individuals are always permitted to represent themselves in court, but representing oneself is only appropriate in a case in which there is very little money involved or in which the factual disputes are very plain. In all other disputes it is wise to hire counsel. In a number of situations, a corporation is required to hire an attorney to represent itself in court. Appoint Someone to be in Charge For larger companies, finding someone to be in charge is rarely a problem.
Most large companies have in-house legal counsel that handles routine legal matters.
In-house attorneys often are able to handle litigated matters. If there is no in-house legal counsel, someone in the company should be delegated to work closely with outside lawyers in coordinating company strategy and responses. If a business turns to independent counsel to handle a commercial dispute, the in-house legal department often can supervise the outside lawyers and be involved in preparation of the lawsuit. Not only can the in-house lawyers offer insight into the company and suggest the best sources of information about company policy, they can handle some parts of the litigation in order to keep costs down. The Best Defense is a Good Offense Many commercial disputes involve counterclaims, cross claims, and joinder of third parties.