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Rise of The Super Soft-skilled Lawyer

March 6, 2024/in Articles/by competenow

*This image was created by ChatGPT*

Over the next decade certain innate personality traits, which the last 50+ years have been viewed as nice-to-haves, will rise to become favored traits – tested for and sought after in the new age of the in-house lawyer/AI assistant partnership.  And by starting now to put more weight on these key non-legal traits and innate strengths, GCs will be better positioned for the future.   

“The Way It Is”

For the last 100+ years, colleges and law schools have shepherded and groomed would-be lawyers to develop superb legal intellect and key traditional legal research and writing abilities to pass the bar exam and become super lawyers.  A small subset of those super lawyers (cream of the crop) ultimately secure positions at top law firms, in-house legal teams, and government institutions.  That is “the way it is.”  Soft skills are liked, but they have been secondary, or nice to have.  Why must we now change precedent and quickly pivot into a new enlightenment era?   

Why Change?

The answer of course is generative AI.  With ChatGPT, and other AI-powered technology soon to be embedded into every legal tool, a growing list of core legal tasks will be done quickly, and ever more accurately.  This growing list includes legal research, document review, document due diligence, contract drafting, and contract review. Based on the pace of change, the AI tool’s ability to perform core traditional legal tasks will grow exponentially month after month.  While it is true that these new capabilities currently have the greatest impact on lower-level, tedious, voluminous tasks largely tackled by paralegals and entry-level lawyers, AI capabilities will expand quickly, shifting the legal industry’s reliance on an individual lawyer’s traditional legal intellect.  

Enter the rise of the super soft-skilled lawyer.  Legal leaders and clients will need courageous, confident, open-minded, positive, creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial, human lawyers. Lawyers with a sense of character and integrity, who can listen, adapt, and partner with their powerful AI-enabled assistant to deliver quality, efficient, cost-effective results for clients. A powerful duo akin to fictional characters like Luke Skywalker and R2D2, and Tony Stark (Iron Man) with Jarvis.    

Demand is there and growing

Over the last 10 years, since I have transitioned from practicing law to legal services, predominantly meeting with in-house legal leaders, I increasingly hear requests that sound something like this:

  • Ideally, we are looking for a great lawyer who also has project management abilities.  I know I’m asking for a “unicorn”, but if you find one send them my way.
  • In addition to being a good lawyer, we need someone with a more commercial, or business-minded, entrepreneurial mindset.
  • The last person in this role was a good lawyer, but we had complaints from other departments and/or internal clients.  We need someone who understands the bigger picture and understands the importance of cross-functional partnerships.
  • We don’t want someone to over-lawyer every situation.
  • We need someone who can help move things forward, see opportunities, and not just be an obstacle.
  • We need a collaborator, a problem solver, a relationship builder.
  • Someone open to change, and adaptable.

Contemporaneously, in the last 5 years, I’ve been hearing wise legal voices who call for a framework to teach and train existing lawyers on much-needed non-legal skills/traits. 

Peter Connor prescribes training and development to create the “T” Shape lawyer.  Dan Kayne suggests a program for more “well-rounded” lawyers called the “O” shaped lawyer.

Both models have one thing in common: A critical need for a framework to upskill lawyers on improving a foundational set of non-legal skills: 

  • Open-mindedness
  • Optimism
  • Entrepreneurial mindset (adaptability, proactive problem-solving, taking initiative, strategic planning, curiosity)
  • Collaboration, teamwork, networking, communication
  • Emotional intelligence (empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation)
  • Character (accountability, common sense, integrity, professionalism)

Recruiting for future legal teams – a two-pronged approach

Having spent years searching for these “unicorn” lawyers and trying to accommodate my clients, I see a groundswell of demand for the above non-legal skills as must-haves.   While I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of developing a framework for training and upskilling existing lawyers on the above skills, I would argue that training alone will not meet the demand and pace of change.  Instead, we need a two-pronged, bottom-up, top-down approach.  

I hope no one reading this article will infer that I am somehow discounting or minimizing the value of our current legal talent pool, their ability to adapt and learn for the future, nor the immense importance of having foundational legal knowledge/skills.  There are countless brilliant, exceptional lawyers who are my clients and friends, and whom I admire very much.  They have earned the right to be upskilled and re-skilled into the lawyers of tomorrow.  Some have the aptitude and appetite to pivot and, in time, will improve these non-legal, soft-skill muscles.  However, some don’t have the innate aptitude to be great at some of the aforementioned non-legal soft skills.  And it might be a poor investment to try turning that population’s weakness into strengths.  Do you try to convert Mr. Spock to be more like Captain Kirk?     

But retraining isn’t enough. Legal leaders should also start earlier by putting increasing weight and time on the early identification of future lawyers with these non-legal skills as their strengths.  Colleges, law schools, ALSPs, and legal support companies are flush with individuals possessing these innate soft skills.  Having gone to law school, and professionally worked with hundreds of these unicorns, I know they are all around us.  But, under the current scheme, early on many of these individuals are incentivized to leave the traditional routes of practicing law, and enter non-legal, business, academic, corporate, and political institutions who value their innate interpersonal, non-legal, “soft” skills.  Some are selling you software. Some are influencers on LinkedIn, opened their own business, are consulting, or are running for local offices. 

Now that companies can invest in AI-powered tools and legal assistants that can do much of the legal and data analysis heavy lifting, would you not be better off recruiting a different set of 10 to 20%?  And if high school and college counselors can now say, “You have amazing team building, leadership, people skills, and business acumen, consider going to law school!” Would that not yield a greater candidate pool of future lawyers?

There are also reliable personality and temperament tests like Myers-Briggs, Gallop’s Clifton Strengths Finder, and VIA Character Strengths Survey, that legal leaders can add to their repertoire of due diligence.  There are some cases of AM Law 100 Law Firms already utilizing these tests.  Tests like this, combined with traditional due diligence can reveal additional data points and insight on non-legal, soft skills that legal leaders can weigh in the overall decision.

That’s my take. What are your thoughts?

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A GC's Guide to Rightsourcing

A GC’s Guide to Rightsourcing: 3 Ways to Make the Business Case For FTE vs. Flex Talent vs. Outside Counsel

February 26, 2024/in Reports privacy, rightsourcing, legal management, legal talent, technology transaction attorneys, commercial transactions, product counseling/by competenow

Legal departments are feeling the pressure. When urgency and uncertainty converge, rightsourcing the resources at your disposal are how General Counsel are advancing business goals, managing risks, and advancing priorities.

In this playbook, we share 3 examples of how GCs are optimizing the value of their resources – how to optimize your in-house team, what is best handled by outside counsel, and how to lean on your flexible talent partner to get the most out of both.

The upside includes avoiding team burnout and notable savings on recruitment and retention expenses.

Also included is a tactical decision tree titled “Full-Time Hire, Outside Counsel, Or Flexible Talent?” to immediately bring rightsourced thinking to your legal team.

Rightsourcing is “not about always going for the lowest cost option. Instead, it’s about making the decision that will maximize the value your department can deliver,” says Paragon Legal President & COO Jessica Markowitz.

The rise of flexible in-house counsel is game changing for how much your legal team can accomplish.  Read on to learn how.

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/gcs-guide-to-rightsourcing.png 533 800 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg competenow2024-02-26 15:00:542025-05-14 13:52:14A GC’s Guide to Rightsourcing: 3 Ways to Make the Business Case For FTE vs. Flex Talent vs. Outside Counsel
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Reflecting on 2023: A Message From Our CEO

February 22, 2024/in Articles ceo, reflection, management philosphy/by competenow

February 22, 2024

trista engel headshot
Trista Engel, CEO, Paragon Legal

It’s February – a perfect time to remind ourselves of our New Year’s resolutions that were once so present in our minds but in many cases by now have been forgotten.  I love New Year’s resolutions.  Not because I am someone who likes to set a discrete goal that I can measure in 365 days, but because I am someone who loves the opportunity to be intentional, to decide who I want to be and how I want to show up, and then make a plan for how to do it differently and better. 

John Dewey astutely said: “We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.” New Year’s resolutions are really about who you want to be in the coming year. The most powerful part of reflection is the action we resolve to take based on what we’ve learned. 

The truth is that 2023 was a difficult year. It was a year fraught with geopolitical strife, constant uncertainty, mass layoffs, looming recession fears, and RTO turmoil.  

As I’ve shared before, when times get tough, we turn to our values to remind us who we are and to our management philosophy to shine light on where we want to go. 

Here’s what we learned this year that forms the foundation of our New Year’s resolution (aka our management philosophy) for 2024.

Our clients are in the same business we are in: That business is client service.  That means our job goes beyond the service we provide and extends to how flexible legal talent can enable your legal team to serve your internal clients even better. Spoiler alert: That’s EXACTLY why we’re here. Let us show you how our job is to make your job easier. 

Our client and attorney experience matters: Your experience matters to you, and we take that seriously. In a challenging year all around, Paragon steadfastly maintained industry-leading client and attorney satisfaction ratings.  Our client Net Promoter Score (NPS, on a scale of -100 to 100) was consistently above 70, an industry high water mark.  Our attorney NPS has not dropped below 80.  Our commitment to your success is unmatched in this industry, it has been since our founding, and it shows.  

“Paragon is the Gold Standard”: Our market survey of current clients, former clients, and prospective clients revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback on the quality of Paragon’s talent and our high level of client service. One client shared: “Paragon is the ‘Gold Standard’ in what they do.”  Our deep expertise in this space, our focus on exercising care and judgment in the match, and our bespoke approach to each engagement allows us to make sure you get the help you need when you need it. 

Culture, collaboration, and continuous learning lead to growth: Something we’ve always focused on and never compromised is our culture. In a challenging year, I’m most proud of our team’s resilience, drive, dedication to our clients, support of our attorneys, and encouragement of one another. Even as we have added new team members, the engagement, collaboration, continuous improvement from the Paragon corporate team is unmatched. I am so excited to be adding more people to our corporate team in 2024.

The legal industry is in a unique moment of change: With ever-increasing regulation, the emergence of accessible AI, and the renewed focus on cost-control and efficiency, the legal industry is changing faster than ever. Paragon is committed to helping you navigate those changes – we were the first in the industry to equip our attorney team with cutting edge AI contract technology, we have gathered and shared expert views on keeping up with data privacy and cybersecurity regulations, and we have maintained our commitment to advancing equality in the legal profession. We will continue to help our clients and attorneys be prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Our management philosophy for 2024 is to harness and leverage that which makes us unique – our nimbleness, our drive to win, and the quality talent and client service that make us the best in the biz. We are one of the largest in our field with a boutique feel and a focus on the human touch. We operate with integrity, we value relationships over transactions, and we live by our values. 

We begin 2024 with great excitement and optimism for the year ahead.  Flexible legal talent has never been more relevant to address the challenges faced by in-house legal departments today, as they grapple with limited resources, growing workloads, stretched team members, budget pressures, and the need to show their value.

We’re passionate about making in-house legal practice a better experience for clients and attorneys alike: more flexible, more efficient, and more rewarding.

We look forward to being a part of your success in 2024 and to an exceptional experience every time.  

Cheers!

Trista Engel
CEO, Paragon Legal

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/shutterstock_691685071_buildings-sun-scaled-2.jpg 1707 2560 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg competenow2024-02-22 08:44:192025-05-16 10:46:06Reflecting on 2023: A Message From Our CEO
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Navigating the 2024 Landscape of U.S. Privacy Regulations: Insights from CPRA Webinar Series

February 9, 2024/in Articles privacy, cybersecurity, cpra, ccpa, automated decision making, privacy policies, cybersecurity audits, impact assessments, ca privacy rules/by competenow

Privacy regulations for businesses operating in the United States and internationally will become more complex and compliance more challenging, according to Jennifer Sheridan, Principal, JL Sheridan Law. In the privacy law authority’s online discussion of the newest crop of California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) rules, Sheridan suggests where companies should focus their efforts and resources.

The webinar, moderated by Paragon Legal’s Megan Kelly, builds upon the insights that Sheridan offered in our Part I webinar on the state of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) as modified by CPRA, which is recapped here. 

For 2024, Sheridan distilled the essentials for companies with privacy obligations in the areas of: 

  • Impact assessments for high-risk processing, including targeted advertising
  • Cybersecurity audits
  • Automated decision-making (“ADM” or “ADMT”)
  • Revised thresholds for businesses under CCPA as amended by CPRA
  • Employee notices under CCPA as amended by CPRA
  • Updated privacy policies for CPRA modifications of CCPA
  • Upcoming state laws for 2024-2025 

Enforcement deadlines loom large. The Part I regulations were finalized March 30, 2023, and enforcement begins March 29, 2024, after a one-year grace period. There are three sets of Part II regulations pending. Finalization is estimated to occur between summer and fall 2024 and then become enforceable mid-to-late 2025.

A summary of Part II regulations follows with expansive details available in the webinar’s related documents. 

Impact Assessments for High-Risk Processing

For those in the high-risk category, the new rules for risk assessments are:

  • Any CPPA covered business must conduct a Risk Assessment (“RA”) if it engages in high-risk processing of personal information.
  • An abridged summary of the Risk Assessment must be filed annually with the CPPA.
  • Upon request by CPPA, the company will provide the full RA to the agency.

Examples of high-risk processing include ‘targeted advertising’ or ‘behavioral advertising’ under CCPA; “selling or sharing personal information (PI); sensitive PI; ADMT (automated decision making technology); consumers under age 16 that business has actual knowledge of; and processing PI of consumers in publicly accessible places.

Sheridan called out one area to pay close attention: processing PI using technology to ‘monitor Employees, IC, job applicants, students.’ Examples of this monitoring would include keystroke loggers, productivity or attention monitors, facial or speech recognition, and location trackers, among others. 

The potential impact of these new rules is wide. They could apply to fares paid to ride-sharing providers, mobile dating app users, monitoring of grocery chain customers, and behavioral advertising. She cited Amazon’s recent $35 million fine for excessive employee surveillance in France as an example of the growing significance of GDPR style rules in the United States. 

Requirements of the Risk Assessment, as of December 8, 2023 are:

  1. Summary of the processing;
  2. Categories of PI processed;
  3. Context of the processing;
  4. Reasonable expectation regarding purpose and compatibility with context. 
  5. Operational elements of the processing: adherence to data minimization principles, protocols for data retention; number of consumers affected; technology to be used; names of all service providers or third parties whom the information is shared (or provide explanation for not sharing their names);
  6. Purpose of the processing – specific description of the purpose and how processing achieves it;
  7. Benefits resulting from the processing; with specificity, including discussion of benefits probability and scale; 
  8. Negative impacts on privacy from the processing: with specificity, encompassing sources of impact, as well as probability and extent of benefits. See Section 7152 (a) A-J pp 9-10.
  9. Safeguards the business plans to implement to address the negative impacts, including an explanation of how they mitigate risks, and whether there are any residual risks; and 
  10. Evaluation of whether the safeguards’ mitigation of negative impacts outweighs the benefits.

Sheridan suggests that companies look to their already adopted Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) as a starting point for tackling the RA requirements.

Cybersecurity Audits

Certain businesses that meet the threshold must conduct annual (prescribed and independent) audits on their cybersecurity practices. The first step to compliance, according to Sheridan, is knowing which companies are covered: 

  • ALL data brokers (d)(1)C);
  • Other businesses who meet the two prong criteria:

$25m or greater revenue ((d)(1)(A) AND

Process certain types and volumes of PI as defined in (A), (B) and (C) – if the business processes any of them then it needs to conduct an audit.

  • PI of 250,000 consumers in preceding calendar year; 
  • Sensitive PI of 50,000 consumers in preceding calendar year; 
  • PI of 50,000 or more consumers that business had actual knowledge were under 16 years old in preceding calendar year.

The draft regulations prescribe that the audit must be ‘independent’ but they claim that it can be an internal auditor IF it meets the definition and criteria of independent. See 7122 (1) and (2).

Sheridan flags audits as a particularly challenging obligation, with 18 specific technical and organizational safeguards in play. She anticipates most companies will need an external auditor. 

The initial audit is due 24 months following the finalization of the regulations, and then every 12 months following. And while that timeline may seem distant, Sheridan urged companies to start planning strategies and get assistance from privacy professionals now before the best resources are taken. 

ADMT (Automated Decision Making Technology)

To get our minds around ADMT-related regulations, it helps to define what’s covered. 

Basically, it involves any tech facilitating human decision making, in whole or in part. The decisions produce legal or similarly significant consumer effects, e.g., employment, loan, insurance. Additionally, profiling, as related to evaluations, preferences, and employee productivity, is involved. The three overarching requirements for ADMT are:

  1. Risk Assessment (must be filed in abridged form)
  2. Pre-use notice
  3. Opt-out right. There are exceptions to the opt-out notices, which are generally quite narrow and not available for behavioral advertising. 

The RA for ADMT has a lengthy list of requirements, which are detailed in the program documents. Sheridan considers this another tough area to achieve compliance in and encourages covered businesses to put this on their radar now.

Up Next for CA Privacy Rules 

The likely scenarios unfolding in privacy regulations are decisions on the scope of employee monitoring, a deeper look at the negative harms in Risk Assessments, and considerations of the impact of the cybersecurity audit on California businesses. These issues were all discussed in the CPPA’s December 2023 board meeting. 

To prepare for Part II regs, Sheridan suggests that companies review CCPA Part I regs for compliance, including on privacy policy updates (right to correct), the opt-out update (“sell or share”), and new thresholds of what is a business (“buy, sell or share” replaced “buy, sell or receive”). 

To address Part II CPPA draft regs issued in 2023, watch for finalization of Risk Assessments, Cybersecurity Audits and ADMT regulations in 2024. Enforcement will begin in 2025. 

Where should covered businesses look for help to ensure compliance? 

Sheridan and Kelly offered a variety of resources, including privacy-focused organizations like the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and alerts from CPPA. 

The regulations are complex, filled with grey areas, and require heavy documentation. Experienced specialists, from privacy compliance consultants to Paragon’s roster of project-ready privacy law attorneys, are a necessity, not a luxury, in Sheridan’s view. The best ones are being engaged now, and she predicts their expertise will be in such great demand that a “cottage industry” of privacy pros will emerge.

Dig deeper into the upcoming CCPA regulations in the webinar materials. To start strategizing,  you can contact Paragon Legal consultants focused on bespoke privacy compliance solutions. 

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/shutterstock_1902776437-1.jpg 416 1000 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg competenow2024-02-09 11:01:002025-05-14 14:19:39Navigating the 2024 Landscape of U.S. Privacy Regulations: Insights from CPRA Webinar Series

2023 Paragon Diversity Report

January 25, 2024/in Reports/by Kristen Poor
https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/12324.png 1080 1080 Kristen Poor /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg Kristen Poor2024-01-25 14:10:022024-01-29 10:27:242023 Paragon Diversity Report
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Webinar On-Demand: Part II CPRA & the 2024 Alphabet Soup of U.S. Privacy Regulations

January 25, 2024/in Webinars/by competenow

Businesses operating domestically and internationally must stay on top of the constantly evolving requirements on privacy and cybersecurity.

In Part I of our series (May ’23 Webinar), Jenny Sheridan, Principal at JLSheridan Law, delved into the latest developments in U.S. privacy law with a focus on the state of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) as modified by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), provided context with a B2B use case, discussed comparisons with other state regulations, and highlighted issues to keep an eye on, including the California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) rulemaking progress.

Hosted by Paragon’s Megan Kelly with featured speaker Jenny Sheridan, watch the webinar on-demand covering critical, new developments, including takeaways from the December 8, 2023 CPPA Board Meeting.

Key Topics

  • Automated decision-making (“ADM” or “ADMT”)
  • Cybersecurity audits
  • Impact Assessments for high-risk processing (including targeted advertising)
  • Revised thresholds for businesses under CCPA as amended by CPRA
  • Employee notices under CCPA as amended by CPRA
  • Updating your privacy policy for CPRA modifications of CCPA
  • Looking forward to 2024-2025 and new US state laws coming into effect

Meet the Speakers

  • Jennifer Sheridan, Principal, JL Sheridan Law
  • Megan Kelly, Director of Attorney Development, Paragon Legal
https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Podcast-Promo-scaled-1.jpg 1672 2560 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg competenow2024-01-25 10:31:332025-05-14 14:53:18Webinar On-Demand: Part II CPRA & the 2024 Alphabet Soup of U.S. Privacy Regulations
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Flex Talent For The Win! With Trista Engel & Jessica Markowitz, co-leaders at Paragon Legal

January 12, 2024/in Webinars/by competenow

Mary O’Carroll welcomes the dynamic duo of Trista Engel and Jessica Markowitz, leaders at Paragon Legal and co-founders of Calex Capital Partners. Both seasoned MBAs from the University of Chicago Booth Business School, they share insights on reinventing legal talent in today’s fast-paced world.

Flex Talent Revolution: Mary and her guests unpack the concept of flex talent. They argue it’s not just an option but a necessity for modern legal departments. Key focus areas? Legal ops, tech tools, and yes, flexible talent!

Right Sourcing 101: It’s all about matching the task with the perfect resource. Mary delves into this game-changing strategy, where everything from junior attorneys to automation tools plays a role.

Real-world Flex Talent Stories: Trista and Jessica bring their experiences to the table, highlighting the versatility and adaptability of flex talent. From managing workload peaks to fitting specialized roles, they’ve seen it all.

Cost-Effective Legal Work: Dive into how flex talent can slash legal costs while maintaining top-tier expertise.

The takeaway? Quality work doesn’t always mean hefty law firm bills.

The Paragon Edge: Get an inside look at how Paragon Legal isn’t just employing flex talent but empowering them with a full suite of benefits and a strong sense of team belonging.

Culture Fit in Flex Talent Hiring: It’s not just about skills. Mary, Trista, and Jessica emphasize the importance of aligning culture, speed, and risk tolerance for successful talent placement.

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2023 in house compensation survey report

2023 In-House Compensation Survey Report

December 8, 2023/in Reports/by Kristen Poor

The in-house legal department touches nearly every other part of the business — and delivers value that far exceeds its costs.

Legal departments are not just guardians of compliance and risk management, but strategic partners in decision-making.

Legal teams help shape corporate strategies, negotiate critical contracts, manage intellectual property, and provide crucial insights that impact the top and bottom line. They also embody a blend of legal and business acumen, making their role indispensable in navigating complex business environments.

Even so, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that many GCs are struggling to get support for good investments these days, as significant company-level constraints squeeze legal department budgets.

And while law firms continue to publicize their skyrocketing salaries and bonuses, corporate counsel pay remains a mystery.

At Paragon, we know that in-house compensation data is more critical now than ever, especially for GCs tasked with overseeing resource allocation within their departments.

Understanding pay trends and levels is vital to help GCs make informed decisions about rightsourcing — balancing in-house expertise with outsourced legal services to achieve costeffectiveness and efficiency. Transparency in compensation also empowers GCs to make informed decisions, balancing quality legal work with fiscal responsibility and ensuring the legal department is dynamic yet cost-effective.

To help you meet your department’s budgeting needs — as well as chart your own career path — we’re pleased to share this extensive data from Above the Law. The 2023 In-House Compensation Survey Report shines new light into the black box of law department pay.

This year’s report draws on responses from more than 1,900 lawyers, and includes new benchmarking components that allow for greater precision. Its extensive data set is also segmented in varied ways, giving a more complete picture of industry practices.

Whether you’re in a large or small law department, in-house or private practice, legal operations or an ALSP, we hope you find this data useful in meeting all of your business goals.

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-in-house-compensation-survey-report.jpg 533 800 Kristen Poor /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg Kristen Poor2023-12-08 19:35:142024-06-05 13:28:232023 In-House Compensation Survey Report
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Strategic Flexibility: 3 Ways Interim Counsel Drives Impact

November 14, 2023/in Articles alternative legal services|employee handbook|legal industry insights|lifehacks/by competenow

The role of a GC is fraught with challenges; the balance between managing daily operations and addressing unexpected legal challenges is delicate. The pressure to balance workload, budget, and the well-being of the legal team can often feel like balancing on a tightrope. 

Asking an already stretched-thin staff to take on more, hiring additional full-time employees, or outsourcing to pricey law firms are only sometimes the best or feasible options. This is where the strategic utilization of interim counsel comes into play, offering a versatile and cost-effective solution for legal departments navigating the ebb and flow of workload demands.

Here are three real-life examples of how obtaining interim in-house counsel provided strategic relief to overstretched legal teams.

Scenario 1: Finding Support During a Hiring Freeze at Hurricane Games

As Hurricane Games braced for the launch of their next big video game console, an unexpected hiring freeze threatened to upend their legal department’s preparations. The freeze, a response to lower-than-expected sales from their last game, meant no new hires could bolster the already overextended legal team as they approached the critical console release.

The GC at Hurricane Games faced a dire situation: overloading his current staff with the launch’s legal demands could push them to the brink of burnout—or worse, resignation. But in a stroke of strategic insight, he realized the solution lay in the unallocated vendor budget, unaffected by the hiring freeze.

This discovery led to hiring an interim attorney, a move that brought specialized expertise without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. The interim counsel, already equipped with benefits and requiring no extensive onboarding, could dive straight into the fray, adeptly handling complex intellectual property issues crucial to the console’s debut.

By opting for this flexible legal support over costlier law firm services, the GC managed to keep the quality of work high and costs low. The interim attorney’s contribution was pivotal, ensuring that the legal department successfully navigated the launch period without overtaxing its permanent staff, all within the constraints of the hiring freeze. This strategy not only safeguarded the team’s morale but also highlighted the GC’s adeptness at navigating through fiscal and operational challenges with inventive resourcing.

Scenario 2: Turning Chaos Into Compliance at Fortana

Fortana, an athletic wear company on the brink of maturity, faced a privacy law compliance nightmare. The introduction of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) turned their oversight into an urgent issue when a customer requested details on the personal information collected on them, as permitted by the law.

The GC realized that her team lacked the specific expertise required to handle this complex privacy issue. 

Faced with the option of partnering with an external law firm was financially daunting, given their $450/hour charge for privacy matters. The GC took into consideration the possibility of hiring interim legal counsel.

A friend recommended an interim counsel provider, and soon Jackie, a veteran privacy attorney, was onboarded. Jackie’s deep dive with Fortana’s IT team led to the creation of a data mapping plan, centralizing customer information, which included sensitive geolocation data. She also developed an internal playbook for handling CCPA requests and thoroughly reviewed Fortana’s privacy policies, ensuring GDPR compliance going forward.

Jackie’s comprehensive approach didn’t just solve the immediate crisis; it fortified Fortana’s privacy stance for future challenges. Working in-house with the Fortana team equipped her to be appropriately attuned to the company’s operations, facilitating a quick response to evolving privacy legislation. When Jackie’s tenure concluded, the GC was confident Fortana was well-prepared to comply with privacy laws nationwide.

Scenario 3: Bringing Flexibility to Workflow Management at NuDesk

As NuDesk’s acclaimed HR software gained traction, the company’s legal needs surged, leading to the recruitment of Harry, an interim attorney lawyer with commercial law expertise, to support the HR software business.

NuDesk then shifted its focus to its less popular accounting software, which took off, causing a surge in work. The legal team needed support to handle the influx of work, but the question was whether this spike justified hiring a full-time attorney. Simultaneously, things stabilized for the legal team focused on the HR software, eliminating the need for Harry’s extra support.

The GC acted in a resourceful way to curate a solution. With the HR software’s legal demands now manageable, Harry was adeptly reassigned to the accounting software legal team. This move negated the need for a new hire, optimizing time and resources while maintaining legal continuity.

This was the ideal outcome, as Harry could bring everything he’d learned about the company to his new team. Harry’s interim role allowed him to flexibly transition between teams, a strategic asset for NuDesk. Moreover, after this work spike had abated and Harry left the company, NuDesk asked him to return when they were hit with another work surge several months later. Thanks to his prior experience with the company, he could seamlessly plug back into the legal department. This underscored the GC’s astute use of interim counsel as a key to navigating the fluctuations of a dynamic tech market.

The Strategic Advantage of Interim Counsel

These scenarios underscore the strategic value interim legal counsel brings to corporate legal departments. Whether ensuring compliance with complex legislation, managing unpredictable workloads, or navigating budget constraints, interim counsel provides a high-quality, flexible, and cost-effective solution.

Paragon stands as a testament to this solution, offering interim in-house counsel with a broad spectrum of expertise. Their ability to fit seamlessly into an existing legal team makes them a go-to for GCs facing various business hurdles. Fortana, NuDesk, and Hurricane Games case studies are prime examples of how Paragon’s attorneys can help legal departments adapt, survive, and thrive in the face of any challenge.

 

In the fast-evolving landscape of corporate law, adaptability, and deep expertise are prized. The interim counsel’s unique blend of flexibility and specialized knowledge can be transformative.

By embracing the power of flexible legal talent, GCs can ensure their departments remain robust, agile, and equipped for the future. If you’re contemplating an interim counsel for your next legal challenge, remember that their contribution can extend beyond maintaining the status quo to significantly enhance your team’s performance at critical times.

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Paragon-blog-Images-1000-×-667-px-7.png 550 1000 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg competenow2023-11-14 16:54:012023-12-19 13:37:52Strategic Flexibility: 3 Ways Interim Counsel Drives Impact
five workers waiting for a job interview

A Quick Guide From Pre-Interview to Post-Interview Success

October 24, 2023/in Articles alternative legal services|employee handbook|legal industry insights|lifehacks/by Kristen Poor

In the ever-evolving world of legal job searches, each step – from the initial impression to demonstrating expertise to following up after the meeting – can significantly impact the outcome. Drawing on real-world examples and insights from the trenches of recruiting, we’ve crafted this comprehensive guide to elevate your job search game.

Rethinking the Cover Letter

Traditional wisdom reveres the cover letter, but here’s a fresh perspective: Instead of investing hours refining it, channel that energy into research. Identify who’s spearheading the hiring process and make a direct, personal connection via platforms like LinkedIn.

Example: Instead of a generic cover letter, send a tailored note expressing genuine interest. Highlight how your skills align with the company’s needs, ensuring that the tone radiates sincerity.

Engaging Recruiters: The Art of Standing Out

Apply first, then go beyond. Demonstrating initial interest is foundational, but coupling that with targeted research and outreach can significantly enhance your visibility.

Example: “I recently read your post on the challenges with privacy compliance. Having managed similar issues at my previous firm, I’d love to discuss potential solutions and how my expertise could benefit your team.”

Crafting a Stellar Resume

Generic is passé. Tailoring is the new norm. Customizing your resume for each role captures attention and communicates your genuine interest in the role.

Example: If the job description asks for specific experience with a law, ensure that your resume highlights your experience with that law. Leaving it off of your resume may leave you off the interview list. Provide concrete examples that paint a vivid picture of your capabilities.

Nailing the Introduction

First impressions are pivotal, and the early minutes of your interview can determine its direction. When confronted with the query, “Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?” your response can significantly influence the interviewer’s perception. The key is to authentically convey your professional journey, emphasizing moments that have prepared you for the position.

Example: “I started my legal career with a deep interest in intellectual property rights. While at Firm Y, I played a pivotal role in resolving a high-profile copyright infringement case that saved our client from potential millions in liabilities. Having worked in a broad spectrum of IP cases, I’m eager to bring my expertise to a specialized team like yours at the forefront of defending creative rights.”

Quick Tips:

  1. Authenticity Over Length: Rather than a long monologue, focus on 1-2 authentic sentences that spotlight where you are in your career journey.
  2. Relevance is Key: Relate your experiences directly to the role you’re interviewing for. Use the job description as a guide to identify and emphasize parallels.
  3. Show, Don’t Just Tell: Instead of merely stating you’ve done a task, provide a brief instance or result that demonstrates your prowess.

Addressing Job Changes

If your career path resembles a winding road rather than a straight line, it’s crucial to frame your journey positively. Highlight the skills and experiences gained rather than lingering on the transitions.

Example: “At Company X, I honed my skills in contract management. Moving to Company Y allowed me to dive deeper into client negotiations. Each transition was a stepping stone towards broadening my legal expertise.”

Answering with Authenticity

Ditch rehearsed, generic answers. Adopt the STAR method, and provide examples that breathe life into your experiences.

Example: Question: “How do you handle unexpected disruptions to your workflow?” Answer: “When Mike was unexpectedly out of the office, I promptly prioritized and delegated his tasks amongst the team and myself, ensuring no disruption and timely follow-up. This incident epitomizes my management style – proactive, adaptive, and team-oriented.”

Proactive Feedback Collection

Not every interview culminates in a job offer. However, each one is a goldmine of feedback. If things don’t swing your way, seek constructive feedback.

Example: “I appreciate the opportunity to interview with Paragon Legal. While I understand I wasn’t the right fit for this role, I’d value any feedback to enhance my future applications. Could we discuss this briefly?”

 

Job hunting demands more than just skills and experience, especially in the legal arena. It requires strategy, foresight, and genuine engagement at every phase. By integrating these insights into your job search journey, you can stand out and ensure that each interaction, regardless of its outcome, propels you forward in your career. Every interview, application, and feedback session is a stepping stone toward your ideal role. Embrace, learn, and thrive.

https://paragonlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Paragon-blog-Images-1000-×-667-px-6.png 550 1000 Kristen Poor /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/paragon-logo.svg Kristen Poor2023-10-24 19:00:152024-01-08 11:11:33A Quick Guide From Pre-Interview to Post-Interview Success
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