[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-151751-en":3,"doc-seo-151751-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":90},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},151751,687207412472,"Angel","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d",8,"Research & Report","Client Service Isn’t All About You - How In-House Counsel Strengthens Client Relationships","Client service in-house counsel focuses on satisfaction from business leaders, not personal approval or billing concerns. It explains how internal counsel roles differ from outside practice and why reactive “putting out fires” limits proactive, value-driven support. Preparation for a panel with outside lawyers highlights practical stories and methods: meeting clients in their offices, attending business staff meetings, running simple client surveys, gathering feedback, and delivering legal plus business alternatives through tailored training, tipsheets, seminars, and discussions.","Hearsay Going |GlobaSmalll |LNeaww| toThC- usetrac|tnsal&CoOugitsto  |  \nOutsource Resource  \nI  \nrecently made the mistake of complaining to my local state bar association that I felt isolated from my colleagues in the state bar because  \nannual and midyear meetings tend to offer little to the in-house bar. What I did not realize was that complaining in this context was akin to volunteering to be part of the solution.  \nfilled with charges best included in overhead and outside the terms of engagement.  \nThen I started thinking about my own role and the “clients” I am“engaged” to satisfy. That’s when I realized that, as my escape from law firm life didn’t free me from hourly billing, neither did it free me from  \nlike the proverbial fist in a bucket of sand—when you remove it, you find you haven’t made a dent. Constantly putting out fires leaves little time or energy for proactive efforts or “warm fuzzy” contact with business leaders.  \nTaking some time to think about client service is time well spent. The reality is this: Client satisfaction is every bit as important to in-house counsel as it is to outside counsel.  \nWho Said Client Service Was All About You?  \nBy Karen M. redford  \nNow I find myself the newest member of a panel entitled “What Clients Want: Lawyer to Lawyer Insight into strengthening the Client relationship,” to be presented by in-house counsel to a large group of outside counsel.  \nThe premise of this panel is that, as in-house counsel, we play a unique role as both client and counsel, and that perspective can be applied to teach all lawyers about improving client satisfaction.  \nIn preparation for the panel, I mentally reviewed all of those client service (or lack thereof) stories I have stored away in my five years of in-house practice: The law firm with the lawyer who sent me a bill a year into my tenure, but whom I‘d never met. The lawyer who calls twice a week to suggest work he could be doing for me, and who asked if he could get started right away. The temperamental counsel who throws ahissy fit at my assistant when he can’t get me on the phone. The invoices  \nensuring that my clients are pleased with my service. Client service isn’tall about me and my satisfaction with outside counsel; it is also about how the business people I advise feel about the service they receive from my department.  \nClient service isn’t all about me and my satisfaction with outside counsel, it is also about how the businesspeople I advise feel about the service they receive from my department.  \nParticularly in the small law department, in-house counsel face growing portfolios with static, or shrinking, resources. Day-to-day efforts to address the demand for legal services in your company can feel  \nWhile, theoretically, policies such as legal signoff before execution of contracts within the company will require managers to involve the legal department, bad service from the legal group will mean you are brought in atthe last minute, if at all. If you provide value for your internal clients, and if they seek you out rather than viewing you as an obstacle to their progress, you will have success.  \nGreat client service is great client service. For all of us, the key is to provide the right advice and deliver it diplomatically in a timely fashion. We can add value over the efforts of outside counsel because we are less expensive and better aligned with business goals. But, beyond the basics, what else can we do to serve our clients better? Here are a few ideas:  \nGo to clients, don’t make them come to you. schedule meetings in other people’s offices. Take a few minutes to understand their corner of the business and where they are coming from. attend staff meetings of business units, even if you have no agenda item to pres[ent. you](ent. you)’ll be amazed at what you learn.  \nask your clients what you could be doing better. a simple client survey can solicit feedback and allow you to target your efforts where they are best appre","cbCaimVajEJTxRFz","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimVajEJTxRFz","pdf",713113,1,4,"English","en",105,"# Who Said Client Service Was All About You?\n## In-house counsel’s role and client perspective\n## Turning client service into proactive value\n## Practical ideas to strengthen client relationships","[{\"question\":\"Why does client service matter as much for in-house counsel as for outside counsel?\",\"answer\":\"Client satisfaction is critical in both settings. In-house counsel must ensure the business leaders they advise feel the service meets their needs, not just that lawyers feel effective.\"},{\"question\":\"How can in-house counsel apply client service in day-to-day work?\",\"answer\":\"Shift from reactive fire-fighting to proactive relationship building. Go to clients, schedule meetings in their offices, attend business unit staff meetings, and ask for feedback to target efforts where they are appreciated.\"},{\"question\":\"What actions can help business units understand legal issues better?\",\"answer\":\"Provide training and resources, direct units to relevant information, forward external counsel tipsheets, draft tipsheets on common issues, and recommend seminars tailored to specific business teams.\"}]","Client Service Isn’t All About You - How In-House Counsel Strengthens Client Relationships | PDF",1787848387,10,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":85,"head_meta":87,"extra_data":89,"updated_unix":28},"client-service-isnt-all-about-you-how-in-house-counsel-strengthens-client-relationships","",{"@graph":36,"@context":84},[37,53,67],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,51],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/client-service-isnt-all-about-you-how-in-house-counsel-strengthens-client-relationships/151751/",{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":54,"author":55,"headline":13,"publisher":57,"fileFormat":60,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":61,"datePublished":61,"encodingFormat":60,"isAccessibleForFree":62,"interactionStatistic":63},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":56},"Person",{"url":41,"name":58,"@type":59},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-27",true,{"@type":64,"interactionType":65,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":66},"ViewAction",{"@type":68,"mainEntity":69},"FAQPage",[70,76,80],{"name":71,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":73},"Why does client service matter as much for in-house counsel as for outside counsel?","Question",{"text":74,"@type":75},"Client satisfaction is critical in both settings. 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