What Metrics Are GCs Using to Evaluate Outside Counsel?

At LegalTechTalk 2026, Mori Kabiri moderated a panel with Olga Dmytriyeva and Aminata Ba on how General Counsel evaluate outside counsel beyond legal expertise. Drawing on their experience managing legal work across multiple industries and jurisdictions, the panellists discussed the importance of business understanding, practical advice, communication, responsiveness, trust, pricing transparency, and cultural intelligence.

The session also examined how artificial intelligence is changing expectations around efficiency, billing, data security, and transparency. Real-world examples demonstrated how unexpected invoices, unclear internal charges, poor communication, and limited visibility into technology use can weaken long-standing relationships. The discussion encouraged legal departments to adopt a multidimensional framework for assessing whether external advisers deliver genuine value and operate as trusted business partners.