Reaching Equilibrium: How In-house and Outside Counsel Can Achieve Consensus on Reasonable Legal Fees

Recorded On: 05/02/2015

Pre-recorded from INTA's 2015 Annual Meeting.

This panel will work together and propose practical solutions to minimize conflict and maximize harmony:

  • What motivates in-house counsel when it comes to managing outside legal counsel fees, and what expectations do in-house counsel have in asking outside counsel for cost estimates (and how should law firms deal with such requests)?
  • What law firm activities are amenable to standard charges (e.g., trademark prosecution), and how should standard charges be conveyed (e.g., standard fee schedule updated annually)?
  • What services should be included as part of the standard charge (e.g., reporting publication and registration, legalizing documents)?
  • What expenses should law firms pass on, and how should they be handled (e.g., billing for copying charges and legal research, marking-up expenses)?
  • How can alternative fees be used, especially in the context of litigation (e.g., contingency fee, blended rate, fixed rate, fee bap, risk collar, holdback, merit bonus)?
  • What are the experiences of outside counsel in dealing with various alternative approaches to billing (i.e., what works and what does not work)?

Steve Meleen (Moderator)

Pirkey Barber PLLC (United States)

Bobby Ghajar

Pillsbury Winthrop, LLP (United States)

Mark Holah

Bird & Bird LLP (United Kingdom)

Allison McDade

7-Eleven, Inc. (United States)

Kristin McNulty

Intel Corporation (United States)

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