We are passionate about our job. Whatever you want to name it - consulting, coaching or counselling - it comes down to help professionals achieve their goals.
The Growing Power of In-House Counsel
31/03/2010
China: What Opportunities for European Law Firms?
28/05/2010
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Track Record  In-House Professionals
Strategy and Business Planning
We work with heads of in-house departments and their teams to define the department’s mission statement and strategic vision, to translate them into effective goals and programs, and to strengthen the department’s positioning within the organisation.
Client |
International law department of worldwide group |
Project |
Helping head of international law department through group-wide organisational change |
Story |
The group was in the middle of a major organisational change. The head of international legal affairs hired us to help him position his department in the new organisation. We helped him assess strengths and weaknesses, clarify objectives, and develop communication strategies. We provided him with challenging and creative ideas on legal risk management, on the mission of the law department, on reporting policy and tools, and on managing relationships with business units and the top management of the company. |
Client |
Law department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Branding of the law department in a major Belgian company |
Story |
The general counsel wanted to enhance the understanding of the legal department’s role and the importance of compliance by its internal clients, and accordingly decided to launch an internal branding campaign for the legal department. We advised on brand architecture, helped define an action plan to translate the brand into actual performance, and provided ideas for internal communication campaigns. |
Client |
IT department of worldwide industrial company |
Project |
Translating the mission statement of the IT department into tangible projects |
Story |
An international team within the IT department had defined its mission statement. Later on, we were hired to facilitate a retreat to assess mission statement implementation, and generate and select new ideas to implement it. The retreat ended with a detailed plan to translate the team’s mission in tangible actions. |
External Advisors Management
We work with in-house departments to define sourcing policies, set up and optimise processes for the selection and performance appraisal of external advisors, and make decisions about major sourcing policies.
Client |
Law department of Belgian listed company |
Project |
Setting up a beauty contest for the law department of a listed company |
Story |
The law department had decided to proceed to a formal selection process to hire a panel of law firms for several years (total annual budget of EUR 5 millions). We designed and facilitated the entire selection process. The client was able to establish the legal panel smoothly before the deadline. |
Client |
IT department of worldwide industrial company |
Project |
Facilitating decision-making by IT department in major negotiation with key supplier |
Story |
The department was stuck in a deadlock with its main supplier. The parties were unable to agree on a new business proposal by the supplier for services worth over EUR 10 millions annually. We facilitated a decision-making retreat with delegates from both parties. At the end of the retreat, our client had made a final decision and the parties had reached an understanding on how to move forward. |
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Restructuring the relationship with external counsel |
Story |
The general counsel wanted to rationalise the use of external counsel to obtain better value for money and develop closer, win-win relationships with a limited number of law firms. We assisted him in setting up selection procedures and renegotiating formal contracts with external counsel. We also set up new internal systems and procedures for the handling of law firm billing and for budget management. |
Client Relationships and Satisfaction
We work with in-house departments to set up client feedback mechanisms and define strategies and processes to deal with internal client expectations.
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Account management and client reporting systems |
Story |
The general counsel had set up an account management system for internal clients of the legal department. We helped him further refine the responsibilities of the account managers and set up a reporting system per business line. |
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Client satisfaction survey |
Story |
The company had launched a company-wide project to assess internal satisfaction with the services provided by the different in-house support departments. We helped the general counsel to tailor the survey to the needs of the legal department and to analyse the results. We also advised on the internal communication plan and action plan that resulted form the survey. |
Organisational Development
We work with in-house departments to streamline internal rules and processes.
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Strategic Legal IT plan |
Story |
The general counsel wants to improve the efficiency of the legal department and standardise a large number of services provided by the department. After conducting an in-depth audit, we drafted a lont-term “strategic legal IT project plan” describing the needs, required resources, and possible solutions in matter management, client management, document management and knowledge management. The strategic legal IT plan was approved and handed to the ICT department implementation. |
Client |
Law department of Belgian listed company |
Project |
Structuring internal rules and procedures |
Story |
The law department wanted to streamline its internal rules and procedures. We advised on the whole project, in particular about defining a framework for internal rules and procedures, improving the drafting and consistency of existing rules and procedures and selecting an adequate document management system to make filing and access easier. |
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Matter Management System |
Story |
To improve efficiency, reporting, and sharing of information and knowledge, the general counsel had decided to buy matter management software similar to the systems used by law firms. We performed a market study, advised on the selection of a system, worked closely together with the software provider to adapt the system to the needs of a legal department (e.g. automatic calculation of provisions and generation of auditor reports) and coordinated implementation and training. The matter management system now centralises all matters and related information and documents handled by the department and provides extensive reporting possibilities. |
HR Stragegy and People Management
Client |
HR team of Belgian operation of international bank |
Project |
Advising HR department on competency management plans |
Story |
The HR department wanted to assess skills and manage competency. We advised on key questions about the program under discussion, such as key objectives and methodology choices. |
Client |
HR team of Belgian operation of international bank |
Project |
Challenging a bank HR team on 360° feedback |
Story |
The HR team was about to launch a 360° feedback campaign for managers, including senior managers. We were hired to challenge the HR team to ensure that all possible sources of failure had been identified and properly addressed. Our mission resulted in significant changes to the existing plans. |
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Defining Key Performance Indicators |
Story |
The evaluation and bonus system of the company was based on the assessment of key performance indicators. We helped the general counsel defining KPI for the legal department in line with the department’s objectives. |
Personal Coaching
We help professionals in in-house departments deal with personal challenges.
Client |
Belgian operation of international bank |
Project |
Helping the new head of private banking identify and deal with people and strategy |
Story |
The newly appointed head of private banking had a difficult relationship with some members of his team. We were hired to provide executive coaching on people management. As a result, our client became aware of unaddressed, fundamental strategic questions for his department, and undertook to deal with them. |
Client |
Belgian operation of international bank |
Project |
Helping a bank marketing manager adjust to his new leadership position |
Story |
A marketing professional had been promoted to a leadership position. We were hired to help him identify and address the difficulties he was facing as a people manager and to adjust to the communication style of his boss. The coaching ended after he felt fully at ease in his new position and received positive feedback from his team and his boss. |
Training and Workshops
We design and lead customised training programs and internal workshops and seminars for in-house departments.
Client |
Law department of Swiss-based worldwide company |
Project |
Delivering a communication & counselling skills training for an international law department |
Story |
The general counsel wanted to enhance communication and counselling skills throughout the law department (120 professionals from Europe, Asia, and the Americas). We were hired to design and conduct a fully customised training program. It obtained excellent ratings from the participants and has now become a recurrent event. |
Client |
Professional telecom team in a worldwide industrial company |
Project |
Cross-cultural communication workshop for Chinese and European IT professionals |
Story |
The team was multinational with many members from Europe and others from Asia, particularly China, making communication sometimes difficult. We were hired to design and facilitate a team building session to improve cross-cultural communication. The session allowed participants to settle several misunderstandings and agree on common grounds for a more effective communication. |
Client |
Belgian operation of international bank |
Project |
Turning sellers of financial product into relationship-focused professionals |
Story |
The bank had decided to shift its strategy from product selling to relationship building based on professional advice. We were hired to coach the line managers responsible for implementing this cultural change at the operational level. We facilitated numerous working sessions, allowing managers to share experience and build a common body of best practices, and to identify strategic and organisational bottlenecks on which we drew the attention of senior management. |
Retreats
Client |
Legal department of major Belgian service company |
Project |
Various off sites |
Story |
The general counsel wanted to organise two off-sites for his team, to prepare the business plan for the next year, train on specific skills, and build up team spirit. We helped him set up the programs and methodology and coordinated the preparation of both retreats. |
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