New England Biz Law Update

Harvard Law School has launched an ambitious new study analyzing hundreds of corporations to understand how they are purchasing legal services in the modern global economy. The first non-commercial study of its kind, its goal is to assist general counsel on the best way to choose outside counsel and to help law firms find the best ways to present themselves to companies seeking legal services.

While being a good corporate citizen may sound like a touchy-feely concept, some experts say it could very well boost the bottom line - and is something that in-house counsel should make the "business case" for adopting. The role of in-house counsel in helping a company adopt a corporate social responsibility process is twofold: drafting a formal policy, and crafting a program that blends company "values" and business strategies.

The opportunity to step out of the legal arena and into the deal-making side is very attractive to many in-house lawyers, but some experts warn strongly against an active role in business development.