Legal Ethics and the Changing Market for Legal Service

The market for corporate legal services is evolving. There is an increased pressure on corporate legal departments to reduce their legal spend. Corporate legal departments are, in turn, demanding more from their outside counsel and firms, in the form of detailed budgets, alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), risk-sharing, billing transparency, and performance metrics. Clients are also seeking assistance to address evolving legal challenges in areas such as e-discovery, new technology, and globalization. Law firms that want to continue serving their existing clients, and recruit new clients, have been working to adapt to their clients’ evolving needs.

How are these changes playing out today between inside and outside counsel, and what ethical issues are implicated? In this program, eligible for a Pennsylvania ethics credit, the presentations will focus on the new value proposition in the provision of legal services, technological tools, lower-cost lawyers, AFAs, budgeting, legal-project management, metrics, e-discovery, and ethical issues that come into play for both inside and outside counsel. The presentations will include a discussion of Pennsylvania and Model Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1 (competence), 1.5 (fees), 1.7-1.10 (conflicts of interest), 3.4 (fairness to opposing parties), 5.1 (responsibilities of supervising lawyers), 5.3 (responsibilities regarding non-lawyer assistance), 5.4 (professional independence), 5.5 (unauthorized practice of law), and 5.7 (responsibilities regarding non-legal services).

The Reed Smith presenters are:  David Cohen, Partner - Records & E-Discovery; John McIntyre, Partner - Commercial Litigation; and Nicole Beck, Manager - Knowledge Management.

For more information or to register, visit Association of Corporate Counsel