Extract from Adam Rouse, Tamra Tyree Moore, Renee Meisel, Kassi Burns and Olga V. Mack‘s article, “First Draft, Final Say: Why In-House Litigation Begins Inside.”
Today, many in-house teams are not just managing litigation. They are designing it. The first draft no longer lives on the partner’s desk. Increasingly, it is written internally, more quickly, more strategically, and with far greater control.
Not long ago, litigation strategy began with a familiar call to outside counsel. Drafting letters, developing negotiation frameworks, and coordinating discovery were once the purview of law firms almost exclusively.
In-house teams reviewed, approved, and paid for the work. That model is quickly fading.
Today, many in-house teams are not just managing litigation. They are designing it. The first draft no longer lives on the partner’s desk. Increasingly, it is written internally, more quickly, more strategically, and with far greater control. This shift is not just changing who does the work. It is changing how litigation begins and how it will be executed in the years ahead.
