Canadian Lawyer InHouse

37 canadianlawyermag.com/inhouse february 2015 modular view denigrates the profession somehow, Jelich says. But judging from Mitchell Kowalski's comments, more in- house lawyers may be ready to change. Kowalski is a lawyer and author of Avoiding Extinction: Reimagining Legal Services for the 21 st Century. He believes corporate counsel needs a better way to work. Companies developed in-house law departments for a practical reason, Kowalski says: Costs for external counsel have "skyrocketed" over the last 20 to 30 years. Corporate legal teams were a bargain. At least, that used to be the case. Now, costs to outsource certain legal activities are at rock bottom. Technologies like CSA's visa-application web site make quick, cheap work of tasks that were more expensive when lawyers handled them. Service providers that specialize in regulatory compliance, health and safety, and other matters offer law departments relatively inexpensive ways to do more with less. Kowalski says big businesses, including network-technology provider Cisco Systems and carmaker Kia, use tools and services like these to strategize their legal budgets. "We see more thoughtful general counsel saying, what does it make the most sense for me to do inside? What makes sense to send to my law firm? And what makes sense for me to send to a lower-cost provider?" Canadian lawyers are beginning that journey. "I think they're starting to feel the cost pressures their colleagues in the U.S. have felt for some time," Kowalski says. He points out that the financial downturn of 2007 and 2008 affected U.S. businesses more than their Canadian counterparts, so companies south of the border were quicker to employ cost-saving measures in all departments, including legal. True to form, though, Canadian corporations are following suit, which means more in- house teams will have to reconsider their spending too. "I've seen more general counsel becoming serious about how to fix this," Kowalski says. Clearly, CSA and RBC are two of the frontrunners. But Jelich believes other in-house lawyers will likely follow her group's lead. "We are all up against cost requirements where there is more and more to do but no budget to infinitely hire people to do it," she says. "You have to figure out how to be efficient and focus as much as possible on strategic work." IH L aw D e p a r t m e n t M a n a g e m e n t '' '' you don't have to suffer the challenges of process mayhem. if you think this methodology will help make your desk better and, therefore, your day more meaningful and your work more efficient, give it a try. emily JeliCH, rbC law group 82 Scollard Street, Toronto, Canada, M5R 1G2 Contact Stacey Ball at (416) 921-7997 ext. 225 or srball@82scollard.com web: www.staceyball.com Ball Professional Corporation Excellence in Employment & Labour Law • Counsel in Leading Cases • • Author of Leading Treatise • Wrongful Dismissal Employment Law Human Rights Post Employment Competition Civil Litigation Appellate Advocacy Disability Referrals on behalf of employees and employers respected all_CL_Mar_12.indd 1 12-03-13 2:27 PM Order # 804218-65203 $426 2 volume looseleaf supplemented book Anticipated upkeep cost – $319 per supplement 4-6 supplements per year Supplements invoiced separately 0-88804-218-3 Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 00227VI-A48890 Canadian Employment Law Stacey Reginald Ball More than 6,145 cases cited Canadian Employment Law is a one-stop reference that provides a thorough survey of the law and analysis of developing trends, suggesting potential avenues of attack as well as identifying potential weaknesses in the law. Canadian Employment Law has been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada, in superior courts in every province in Canada, and is used in law schools throughout Canada. CANADA LAW BOOK ® Available risk-free for 30 days Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 Also available online on WestlawNext® Canada EmploymentSource™

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