I talk with General Counsel every week who are under pressure to cut 10%, 15%, sometimes 20% from outside counsel costs. The challenge is always the same: they don’t have clear visibility into where the money’s going. You can’t cut what you can’t see. The good news? Reducing legal spend isn’t about slashing quality or burning bridges with your external partners. It’s about creating visibility, making smarter choices about which work goes where, and setting up the systems that prevent cost surprises before they happen. This guide covers what I’ve learned from in-house teams across five continents.
