Which attorney is hired to defend a lawsuit has a substantial impact on the outcome of that lawsuit. The attorney must not only be knowledgeable about the subject area, the relevant law and the nuances of local jurisdictions, but must be able to do his or her job in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

As the insurance industry has changed, the make-up of those who are hired to defend the claims and lawsuits has changed. From close friends and acquaintances, to panels, to regional and national firms. Your House Counsel® is the next step in the progression towards a national solution, joining the service and cost-effectiveness of small to mid-size firms with the reach of a national organization.

Regional and national firms may be convenient for an initial referral, but their politics, structures and hierarchies can make them costly and inefficient. Each Your House Counsel Member Firm is independent and has a relationship partner dedicated to your relationship and your work. And the more than 30 firms across the country have over 300 lawyers.

One of the things that makes working with Your House Counsel and its member firms so rewarding is the caliber of people in the organization. Clients immediately recognize what type of people Your House Counsel members are. Think of the defense firm with which you have the longest and closest relationship. Your House Counsel has an organization full of those people. And there is a good chance you are already using at least one Your House Counsel firm.

As jurisdictional needs have expanded, valuable resources are stretched in an effort to maintain control over the defense. Building and maintaining a panel and communicating with that panel is a job in itself. Fortunately, Your House Counsel does that for you. It knows our member firms. It works with you to make sure your initiatives are rolled out throughout our member firms. And it arranges meetings, whether on site, at an industry event or virtually.

Hiring the right lawyer for your case in a distant jurisdiction is not easy and can be fraught with danger. By turning to a national consortium of highly regarded insurance and corporate liability defense law firms, that job is made easier and more productive. The Your House Counsel organization has already conducted extensive due diligence. It makes sure that each member firm is AV-rated or has received comparable recognition; it reviews each member firm's reputation in the community and among its peers, as well as gauging the lawyers' experience in the practice area. And the organization is there to make sure that your engagement goes smoothly because each firm is answerable to the organization.

Howard S. Shafer is the president of Counsel Holdings, Inc.

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