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.