A practical guide to getting real value from your external law firms

If you've ever inherited a messy list of preferred law firms or felt like your panel isn’t pulling its weight, you’re not alone. Managing a legal panel well is part science, part art – and when done right, it can unlock real efficiency, value, and trust for your in-house team.

Here’s how to make your panel work for you – not the other way around.

Start with the big picture – not just the spreadsheet

Before pulling together a new panel (or refreshing an old one), take stock. Not just of who you’re using, but why.

Ask yourself:

• What types of work are we outsourcing – and why?
• What’s the risk profile of the business? Has that changed?
• What do we need support with – now and six months from now?
• What’s our internal capacity and capability?
• Where are we spending most – and does that align with where we should be spending?

Whether you're solo counsel or leading a global team, these questions give you the clarity to shape a panel that fits – rather than one that just ticks boxes.

Relationship > rhetoric

Your panel firms are more than vendors. The relationship should run deeper than a billing portal.

Look for:

• A genuine willingness to act as an extension of your team.
• Cultural and values alignment – especially across multiple jurisdictions.
• Curiosity and initiative – firms that proactively share insights and ideas.
• A collaborative mindset: “We can’t do X, but what about Y?” is far more useful than a flat ‘no’.

If your team dreads picking up the phone, or you’re explaining your business for the tenth time, it’s probably time to reassess.

Don’t assume your panel knows what you want

Even the best firms can miss the mark if your expectations aren’t crystal clear. A tailored briefing document is a good start – but don’t stop there. Follow up. Reiterate. Be specific.

Some practical tips:

• Define what ‘value add’ actually means – training? Templates? Secondments? Curated insights?
• Don’t just listen to the partner pitch. Ask to hear from the associates who’ll do the day-to-day work.
• Keep communication open and candid – before, during and after any tendering process.

Feedback is your secret weapon

Annual reviews alone won’t cut it. If something goes wrong – or brilliantly – say so. A simple “Free to chat?” email can do wonders.

Create a culture where feedback flows both ways. It builds trust and helps avoid reruns of the same issues.

Ways to gather feedback that don’t require a formal process:

• Quick Slack or Teams check-ins with legal ops or GC.
• Five-minute surveys at the end of matters.
• Regular catch-ups with local legal contacts or knowledge champions.

The format matters less than the consistency.

Tech can help – if it fits your scale

Spend management and billing platforms like Brightflag, Tableau or LawAdvisor can bring structure and visibility to panel management. But not every organisation needs the full suite.

Start with what matters:

• Visibility of spend.
• Billing compliance against agreed rates and scope.
• Data that supports your next panel review.

If you’re tied to clunky legacy tech, focus on what you can control. Even a simple SharePoint dashboard can bring clarity.

Great panels offer more than just legal advice

If your panel’s only value-add is an invoice, it might be time to rethink things.

Some high-impact extras to look for:

• Culturally sensitive negotiation training.
• Practical AI education for business leaders.
• Support for DE&I initiatives and leadership development.
• “Morning from hell” simulations for handling dawn raids or crisis scenarios.
• Secondments – fairly priced, not extortionate.

The best firms are genuinely invested in your success – not just your spend.

Final thought: Make your panel work for you

A great legal panel isn’t a procurement exercise. It’s a strategic asset – one that can scale your legal team, reduce risk, and deliver measurable value.

It takes work: planning, communication, feedback, and the right tools. But when it clicks, the impact is real.

If your panel isn’t helping your legal team do more with less – it’s not doing its job.