By Andrew Dick and Rob Morvillo
June 12, 2025
Oringinally published in Law360 (link to article)
With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and other technologies capable of delivering high-quality legal output at scale, traditional differentiators like technical skill and substantive expertise have become mere table stakes for outside counsel. To compete in today's legal market, relationship partners need to double down on the things that technology can't replicate: judgment, empathy, strategic insight and trust.
What distinguishes the most successful outside counsel isn't what they know, but how they show up: as trusted advisers who understand their client's business, anticipate their needs and deliver clear, actionable guidance in the moments that matter. This article highlights some of the defining habits that clients have come to expect from great relationship partners.
One of the clearest markers of a great relationship partner is their ability to convert legal knowledge into pragmatic advice.
Simply put, general counsel are busy and don't have the time to spend hours learning a new area of law, so they need decisive
Andrew Dick Rob Morvillo
business-focused outcomes. Rather than providing exhaustive memos filled with caveats and edge cases, they distill complexity and offer recommendations that enable decisive action.
General counsel need to find the path to yes. This requires more than legal proficiency. It demands judgment, business fluency and the confidence to say, "Here's what I think you should do." The ability to cut through complexity and propose a way forward is what allows clients to operate decisively under pressure.
Responsiveness is no longer a differentiator; it's an expectation. What sets a great relationship partner apart is how they respond: with immediacy, relevance and awareness of the broader context.
The most trusted partners don't just meet deadlines. They're accessible when it counts. They provide clarity in moments of ambiguity, offer short-form insights when speed matters and create space for informal check-ins that help clients pressure-test ideas before a crisis emerges. In short, their availability translates to confidence for the general counsel in critical, time-sensitive moments.
Understanding the client's risk tolerance, strategic priorities and internal dynamics is essential. Great relationship partners view legal advice through a commercial lens — recognizing that clients must weigh legal, operational and reputational risks simultaneously.
They adapt their advice based on the client's business model, regulatory environment and stakeholder expectations.
They also understand that "legally sound" does not always mean "viable for the business." When outside lawyers can deliver advice to the general counsel that the business will understand, it strengthens the general counsel's ability to lead internally, drive alignment across stakeholders and move decisions forward with confidence.
Relationship partners who consistently earn trust understand the internal pressures that their clients face. Whether reporting to the CEO, presenting to the board or supporting business unit leaders, general counsel must often translate legal issues into business decisions quickly, clearly and credibly.
Great outside counsel accelerates that process. They anticipate key questions, draft executive-ready materials, simplify complex risks and ensure their advice is usable in high stakes forums. They also know how to provide discreet behind-the-scenes support, allowing the general counsel to lead confidently in front of stakeholders. Their job is to make the general counsel look like they are prepared, thinking strategically and in control when the stakes are high.
Lastly, they understand that the advice needs to be ready for nonlawyers to understand.
Perhaps the most overlooked, yet critical, trait of a great relationship partner is their ability to navigate internal dynamics with humility and professionalism. That starts with understanding the general counsel's role as the company's legal authority and never overstepping it.
Trusted partners know that their job is to empower the general counsel, not compete with them. They avoid going directly to the CEO without first getting into alignment with the general counsel. They decline board meeting invitations when their presence would undercut the general counsel's position. They defer to the general counsel in sensitive settings and always reinforce the internal credibility of the legal department.
Doing so reinforces the general counsel's leadership internally, while also positioning your firm as a loyal and respectful long-term partner.
Great relationship partners understand that trust is built not just through legal work, but through informal, low-friction interactions. They create an environment where clients feel free to pick up the phone without hesitating because they know they won't be billed for every six-minute call.
This is a strategic choice. Partners who welcome those quick, off-the-clock conversations are more likely to stay connected to the business, gain early insights into upcoming matters and become the go-to resource when something big hits.
Billing for every minor interaction, by contrast, signals a transactional mindset and puts distance between the client and your firm. These informal calls are often the gateway to
deeper trust and earlier involvement in the complex matters that will generate substantial billable work.
Good partners also know when their firm doesn't have the right expertise for the assignment. Passing on work that isn't the right fit, or better yet, making a referral to someone outside your firm for whom it is, demonstrates that you are putting the client first. It engenders more trust.
While leadership is critical, great relationship partners also know when to listen, ask questions and adapt their style. They don't assume they know what the client wants: They seek feedback, adjust when needed and avoid the trap of overconfidence.
This kind of humility, paired with confidence and accountability, creates trust and encourages a more open, collaborative relationship. In many cases, the most valuable ideas emerge when the outside lawyer creates space for the client to speak candidly and without judgment.
The best relationship partners aren't defined by a single trait — they're defined by consistency across many. They are responsive in high-pressure moments, commercial in their thinking, and humble in how they support and reinforce their client's internal authority. They build trust not only through what they know, but in how they communicate, listen and show up when the stakes are high.
For law firms, prioritizing these traits isn't just good client service, it's a strategic imperative. In a market where loyalty is earned, not assumed, firms that cultivate lawyers who prioritize excellent relationships will have a lasting edge.
Andrew Dick is VP of Strategic Initiatives at The L Suite. Rob Morvillo is the Chief Legal Officer of Olo. They are featured speakers in The L Suite's new law firm training initiative, Client Quotient, where GCs discuss client service from the in-house perspective.
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