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Each year Canadian Lawyer surveys in-house, government, and corporate counsel about the operation of their legal department. This year we are focusing on certain aspects of the relationship between corporate counsel and external law firms and service providers. The results of the survey will be tabulated and presented in InHouse magazine in early 2021, and are often cited at various legal seminars throughout the year.

Please take a few minutes to fill out the following survey. The questions marked with an * are mandatory. Tell us what you think and enter for a chance to win a $200 Amazon gift card.

Thank you for taking the time to participate
1. What is your occupation?
Other – Lawyer
Other – Non Lawyer
2. Thinking about 2021, do you expect the size of your department to ….
3. What are the challenges you are experiencing as an in house lawyer in the current market? Please select all that apply.
4. Approximately what was the external legal spend for the Canadian legal department in your last fiscal year?
5. Compared to the prior year was your external legal spend this year…
Higher by what percent %
Lower by what percent %
6. If external spend changed, why? What are the key reasons for the change in spending vs last year?
7. Does the general counsel have the autonomy to select firms?(Required.)
8. How many law firms are you using?(Required.)
9. How many firms received the top 80 per cent of your Canadian legal department’s legal spend?
10. Are you considering consolidating the number of law firms you use?(Required.)
11. Do you generally outsource…
Always
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Expertise that we don’t have in house
Volume of work
Grind work, i.e. repetitive tasks
Creative outside the box thinking
12. What are the legal areas you send to outside firms the most? (Select all that apply)(Required.)
13. Which are your ‘go to’ law firms for work?(Required.)
14. Which law firm from the list above do you outsource to the most?(Required.)
15. How important to you are the following attributes in a law firm, where 1 is not at all important and 5 is extremely important?
1
2
3
4
5
Relatively low cost
Creative legal solutions
Practical approach
Good understanding of our business
Pro-active in suggesting solutions
Regular communication
Diversity
16. Would you say you are more loyal to…
17. Thinking of the firm that you outsource to the most, how well are they performing in the following attributes where 1 is not at all well, and 5 is extremely well
1
2
3
4
5
Are relatively low cost
Offer creative legal solutions
Have a practical approach
Good understanding of your business
Pro-active in suggesting solutions
Regular communication
Diversity
Other (please specify)
18. Please rate the following
Agree completely
Agree somewhat
Disagree somewhat
Disagree completely
I am stretched too thinly at work
I work more hours than I would like to
I am expected to be available 24/7
I work directly with our CEO, at least sometimes
19. What sector is your company/organization in?
20. How many lawyers are there in your legal department?
21. What is the average (actual) work week for members of your department?
22. How many employees work at your organization in Canada?
23. Are you...
24. What was your total compensation for 2019?
25. Please indicate your age group
26. Would you be willing to be interviewed by a journalist to provide quotes for a story analyzing these results or for another story in Canadian Lawyer InHouse? If yes, please include your contact information.
27. If you wish to enter the draw for a $200 Amazon gift card, please provide us with your name, your email address and a phone number where we can reach you if you win.
Current Progress,
0 of 31 answered