Working in insurance coverage and dispute resolution, my clients are almost always repeat business. My friendly competitors are all highly skilled service providers who meet high performance standards over and over again. So what should clients ask and expect of lawyers who they hire? And what does every procurement/panel selection process miss?
1. How are lawyers financially incentivized?
Many law firms are shark tanks with significant internal competition to win business, control client relationships, and generate personal income. And this reality, usually hidden from clients, directly impacts the conduct and quality of legal work. I would ask:
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- Do partners market and work together?
- Does the lawyer instructed involve other people from the law firm on the file?
- If two partners are instructed on the same matter for different clients will they work together, defray costs and work towards both clients’ best interests?
- How are partners remunerated?
- Are billable hour expectations reasonable?
Don’t accept platitudes – get some real answers that you can depend on. Then pause and reflect on whether the answers match your actual experience. If the answer to any of these questions is not a resounding yes, run. I have some truly hilarious experiences with lawyers from the same “Global Law Firm(s)” with extremely high rates not working together, red lining each other’s work, and keeping others in their law firm away from specific clients. Happy to tell you those stories (over a beer or a coffee) but I’d prefer to tell you about the firms that work like we do: joined up working together for your best interests.
Clients assume they hire a good lawyer from a good firm and they’ll get good results. But if the instructed lawyer is not incentivized to work and play nicely with others in the same law firm you’ll only be getting the best that lawyer can provide with the limited resources that lawyer can access.
What you want: getting the best out of all the resources available in a law firm.
2. How does the legal team actually work together?
Law is a team sport. Clients should ask how partners, associates, and support staff collaborate:
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- Does the lead partner handle everything solo, or is there a collaborative model with different strengths on the team?
- Do associates have real responsibility or are they just gears in the machine who bill?
- Can the firm scale its team up or down as the matter evolves?
On any matter of real substance, a single lawyer working on a file alone should terrify anyone hiring a law firm.
For all the procurement folks who impose billing guidelines via portals who are still reading, please understand the best legal work any client can get from any lawyer in every situation is when the legal team talks together, collaborates, and discusses the file. This is true no matter what the billing guidelines are.
What you want: a clear and confident answer that shows the team has worked together before, shares knowledge, and communicates openly—not just with each other, but with you.
3. Who will I actually be working with day-to-day?
You’re not hiring a logo or a name on a door—you’re hiring people. (Everyone says they’re hiring the lawyer not the firm but in reality many have very restrictive panels.) It’s fair to ask:
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- Who writes the first drafts?
- Who responds to emails?
- Who do I call when I need an answer fast?
- Does the team have capacity and expertise?
If you only meet the partner but never hear from the associate until discovery’s due, that’s a red flag.
And for those that insist they are hiring a specific lawyer for a specific task, but nevertheless restrict choices to a limited panel, maybe you don’t really hire the best lawyer for the job.
What you want: a firm that introduces the whole team early, encourages direct communication, and empowers associates to build real relationships with clients.
4. How do you keep me informed?
Some clients want weekly updates. Others prefer milestone-only check-ins. The best firms tailor their communication to your preference. Ask how the firm updates clients:
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- Do they offer concise summaries?
- Quick calls?
- Dashboards / speadsheets?
- Are they proactive when something changes, or reactive when something breaks?
- Do they send 40-page legal opinions without Executive Summaries?
Reliable communication isn’t about volume—it’s about relevance.
What you want: a legal team that keeps you updated how you want so you have confidence, not homework.
5. How do you make sure the team understands my goals?
Not every legal win looks the same. For one file, it’s a motion to dismiss. For another, it’s early settlement. For some, it’s simply minimizing risk with minimal noise. You want a firm that listens first. You are making the strategic calls. Ask how the team gets to know your business, your pain points, and your priorities:
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- Do they start with a strategy memo?
- A kickoff call?
- An internal Q&A?
What you want: A discussion about the results you want, not the results we want.
6. What’s your working style—and does it match mine?
Some legal teams are formal and hierarchical. Others are flat, collaborative and fast-moving. There’s no one-size-fits-all clients and files:
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- Are you a short-text client or a long-memo client?
- Do you expect same-day turnaround or deep analysis over time?
- Does the firm mirror your pace and tone, or do you constantly feel out of sync?
Ask about working style. Ask how they handle urgent issues, and how they manage expectations. Fit doesn’t mean perfection—it means communication, adaptability, and mutual respect.
What you want: someone who won’t drive you crazy over the course of a file – potentially you will be working closely together for a long time.
7. How do you build trust with your clients?
There’s no rehearsed answer on this; how the team responds is what matters. Look for answers that focus on consistency, candor, and availability. Check it against your actual experience:
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- Do they flag risks early?
- Are they honest when a motion is a long shot?
- Do they follow through without being chased?
- Do they amend core legal analysis half-way through the file?
- Do they frequently settle a claim in litigation at the last minute after billing the file for years?
What you want: good habits build trust and helps manage out surprises.
Final Thought: Ask About the Relationship.
In law, technical competence is a minimum expectation. What really defines the client experience is how a legal team shows up: with clarity, communication, and commitment to shared goals. They understand your business and your strategic legal and commercial goals. So don’t be afraid to ask:
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- Who’s on my team?
- How will you work with me?
- Are you reliable when things get hard?
The best firms aren’t just ready for these questions. They welcome them.
