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When a Small Legal Department Should Retain a Litigation Matter In-House

July 2013
ManagementConsultant

Abstract

There will come a time, if you are in-house, when an issue will cross your desk that you just can’t help but want to take to trial yourself. Maybe the value of the case is such that outside counsel fees, if paid, will make the case unsettleable. It might not be “bet the company” litigation requiring an in-depth knowledge of one area of law, and you are on the fence on whether to recommend to the board to let you handle it. It isn't always a great idea, but occasionally, it can pay off. This article will explore the difficulties in keeping cases in-house, and the upsides to managing a case without external counsel. No outside firm knows your organization like you do. Internal employees are more easily accessible to the in-house counsel as well. There are efficiencies to be had by working within the organization.

Author

Portrait image of Bill Kruse
Bill Kruse
Vice President - Law & Counsel, Regulatory Compliance Officer, The Gallup Organization, USA

William E Kruse is Vice President Law & Counsel at the world’s premier survey research and international polling firm, Gallup. He is also the organization’s Regulatory Compliance Officer. Responsible for Gallup’s public contract law section, Mr. Kruse reports directly to Gallup’s general counsel Steve O’Brien. He is also the company's legal advisor on its Institutional Review Board, handles nationwide contract and FOIA litigation, and is responsible for Gallup’s legislative affairs work. Prior to coming to Gallup, Mr. Kruse served as a litigation attorney for the firm of Holland, Groves, Schneller & Stolze. His primary focus was in the areas of railroad and maritime law, as well as environmental litigation. Mr. Kruse handled cases at the federal and state trial and appellate levels in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas and Virginia. Before earning his Juris Doctor, Mr. Kruse served in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he was responsible for procurement and contracting for the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant, and District Seven AOR. Mr. Kruse was a Roskens Scholar at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and graduated seventh in his class from Florida International University’s College of Law, where he was vice president of the Student Bar Association and earned recognition for his course-work in Complex Litigation and Criminal Felony Defense. He is active in the American Bar Association having served as the Vice Chair on the YLD Corporate Counsel Committee, Chair of the YLD Corporate Counsel Committee, and is currently the Chair Elect Designee of the TIPS Corporate Counsel Committee.

Company

The Gallup Organization logo

The Gallup Organization

Gallup delivers forward-thinking research, analytics, and advice to help leaders solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 75 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of the world's constituents, employees, and customers than any other organization. Gallup consultants help private and public sector organizations boost organic growth through measurement tools, strategic advice, and education. Gallup's 2,000 professionals deliver services at client organizations, through the Web, and in nearly 40 offices around the world. Gallup News reports empirical evidence about the world's 7 billion citizens based on Gallup's continuous polling in 160 countries. The Gallup Business Journal provides hard-hitting articles and insights aimed at helping executives improve business outcomes based on Gallup's experience boosting companies' performance. Gallup also offers books with groundbreaking research on business, leadership, wellbeing, and politics, as well as coursework on the factors that drive individual and organizational performance. From its world headquarters in Washington, D.C., to a hub in Toronto, Canada, and a growing presence in, Mexico, and South America, Gallup consultants in the Americas work with leaders in federal and local governments and large companies in a wide range of industries. Gallup consultants use their in-depth knowledge of government and business across North, Central, and South America to help public and private sector organizations maximize performance.

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