What does a solo in-house lawyer at a high-growth company really need from outside counsel? When does flexible talent make more sense than a traditional firm? And how can legal departments access specialized expertise without sacrificing speed or blowing through budget?
These were just a few of the questions answered in a candid conversation between David Drew, Priori’s VP of Legal and Business Affairs, and Matt Wheatley, Priori’s VP of Client Strategy.
As Priori’s solo in-house counsel, David offered a behind-the-scenes look at how and when he leverages flexible talent, from project-based work to specialist expertise.
In his conversation with Matt, the two discussed how lean and fast-moving legal teams can build a more agile function by tapping the right talent at the right time.
Here are five key takeaways from the conversation.
Flexible Talent Solves for Speed & Scale
When you’re the only in-house lawyer at a growing company, the volume and variety of issues don’t slow down to match your bandwidth. David emphasized that flexible talent is helpful for tackling:
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Niche issues like employment or data privacy
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Overflow support during crunch periods
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Projects that require rapid turnaround without lengthy onboarding
David says, “It’s great to be able to say, ‘Who in our network can jump in today to help on this?’ That speed and specialization is hard to get from a big firm.”
Big Law Isn’t Always the Best Fit
While Big Law still has its place, especially for things like “bet-the-company” litigation, high-value M&A, and regulatory investigations, many in-house teams are looking for something different for their day-to-day needs. This could include a consult with a privacy expert, help redlining commercial contracts, or employment advice.
Flexible talent offers direct access to legal support without the overhead or delays.
Flexible Talent Works Best When It’s Specialized
When in-house teams use platforms like Priori, they’re not just looking for general support, they’re looking for someone who can plug in immediately and deliver.
That’s why the most common and successful matches on Priori’s platform are:
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Overflow or leave coverage for embedded roles
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Commercial contract support
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Tech transactions
Legal teams want specialists who don’t need a ramp-up period. In David’s words, “We have tons of extremely experienced commercial lawyers from places like Meta and Big Law. If you want someone to step in and run, we look for people with sharp positioning and proven experience.”
For legal teams this means the clearer your scope, the faster you can find the right fit, and the more value you’ll get from flexible talent.
A Relationship-Driven Extension of Your Team
One of the advantages of working with solo attorneys or small firms is the ability to build direct relationships. David emphasized how helpful it is to know the people he’s working with, reach out directly, and engage someone on a well-scoped project without bureaucracy.
He says, “If I need a really rapid turnaround, I benefit from a close personal relationship with the outside counsel. It’s nice for me to be able to get specialist support on a clearly scoped basis or a very quick, small amount of work that a big firm might not be interested in picking up.”
Flexible Talent Isn’t Just Efficient–It’s Strategic
There’s a misconception that flexible legal talent is just about cost savings. While it can certainly be more affordable than a traditional firm, David made the case that it’s just as much about alignment, speed, and flexibility.
This is especially valuable for legal teams that don’t have the time, or need, for large-scale engagements but still want high-quality support.
Today, in-house teams are expected to do more with less and stay ahead of risk across an increasingly complex landscape. Having a trusted network of flexible talent gives you an on-demand bench you can tap into when you need niche expertise, support during critical gaps, or rapid turnaround on time-sensitive matters.
Want to hear more from the conversation? Watch the full webinar below.
Looking for an attorney for a project? Priori Marketplace uses data and technology to rapidly connect legal departments of any size with the right outside counsel for projects globally, saving them time and money. Start an RFP and find an attorney today.
