January 2014 Edition
Top 10 articles of 2013
Karen Deuschle, Corporate Counsel Connect Editorial
The start of a new year brings two major events: making plans for the coming year and taking a look at what transpired in the past year. While we at Corporate Counsel Connect are very excited to continue bringing more and even better insights and connections to you in 2014 through our rapidly growing e-newsletter, we, too, took the time to reflect on all of what 2013 brought us – which included a wide gamut of fascinating topics for corporate counsel. Below you will find our top ten most popular articles from 2013 – and a few bonus "oldies" thrown in. Already seen them? Never hurts to refresh yourself. Haven't read them? Here's your chance!
- Transforming legal education for corporate counsel of the future: An interview with Ron Naves of the UC-Irvine Center for Corporate Legal Leadership
November 2013
No one can say the role of corporate counsel is easy. Those most successful at it are not only "just" lawyers – no small challenge itself – they are problem-solvers, strategists, business partners and leaders. However, the current legal educational system and law firm training grounds leave few lawyers prepared. This is where the UC Irvine Law School's new Center for Corporate Legal Leadership and its newly appointed Executive Director Ron Naves come in. Read more »
- Of income and insights: Going behind the scenes of the 2012 In-House Counsel Compensation Report
August 2013
"People are always interested in how much they are paid." It's a simple truth, spoken by Rees Morrison, half of the force behind the 2012 In-House Counsel Compensation Report. This new report offers a comprehensive view of the earnings within the corporate counsel landscape, offering insights into salary breakdown by industry, tenure, practice area, and more. View some of the trends and issues in in-house compensation today. Read more »
- Outside views on the new normal
August 2013
As an outside lawyer, it has always baffled me why change in our profession occurs, if at all, only at a glacial pace. A recent quandary is the continued adherence to the billable hour model. If clients truly want to lower their outside counsel spend, why aren't they simply demanding a different way? Read more »
- Nothing's normal: A new recurring column with Susan Hackett
Everyone in the legal industry spends gobs of time these days talking about the relevance of legal service delivery models and how what used to work (and was accepted by clients and corporate legal departments) often doesn't work anymore. I am realizing that focusing on the re-invention of the business model allows us to gloss over a larger issue: the need to re-invent the lawyers themselves who will work in these emerging business models.
The relevance of lawyers in the new normal
- Challenging corporate counsel to continuously improve through every stage of their career
- Benchmarking professional development success practices – A Deeper Dive
- Challenges for general counsel structuring an effective global law department
- A duty of care for computer security and information privacy
February 2013
A recent class-action lawsuit filed in South Carolina highlights evolving standards of care organizations now face with respect to protection of computer security and personal information privacy. Although the case is currently pending, it illustrates basic principles of computer system and information management now essential for all enterprises. Read more »
- Leading the way for general counsel in the FBA: An interview with John Okray
June 2013
The Federal Bar Association is dedicated to the professional development of all attorneys involved in federal law. Corporate Counsel Connect had the opportunity to speak with John Okray, chair of the FBA's Corporate & Association Counsel Division, to learn a little more about the FBA, the Division, and what he views as general counsel's biggest concerns. Read more »
- Recent cases affecting the use of predictive coding in litigation
June 2013
Incorporating electronic discovery technology into litigation workflows has remained a hot topic of discussion, and much of its recent focus has been on a clear trend towards a rise in judicial acceptance of predictive coding. Recent cases include a mix of examples in which courts have evaluated litigants' actual use of predictive coding to meet document discovery obligations. Read more »
Oldies but goodies
In addition to the top articles that were published in 2013, we thought we would share of the content that was previously published in Corporate Counsel Connect and is still being frequently visited. Please find below five bonus articles from our archives that you shouldn't miss.
- A practical guide to the bank examiner privilege
October/November 2012
Take a closer look at the practical considerations surrounding the potential application of the Bank Examiner Privilege during litigation and document discovery. Read more »
- "You want me to sign what?!" What you need to know before asking anyone to sign answers to interrogatories
June/July 2012
Before you walk through your signer's door, be sure that he can and should be the person signing on behalf of your client – the corporation. Read more »
- Do your employees have the keys to the kingdom?
October/November 2012
Your employees can become individual targets of document discovery. In most situations, though, they do not have possession, custody, or control over corporate documents merely because they have access by virtue of their duties as an employee. Read more »
- Basics of negotiating the working capital credit agreement
June/July 2012
Guest contributor Nicholas D. Drader from Seattle firm Graham & Dunn PC, looks at negotiations from a borrower's point of view. Read more »
- Ethics on the inside: What every in-house attorney needs to know
June/July 2012
In-house attorneys deal with all the same challenges law firms face. Our guest contributors from Snell & Wilmer LLP will discuss how corporate counsel's close relationships to their employers/clients often make a difficult ethical quandary turn worse. Read more »