What Clients Really Want: Straight Talk From Leading CLOs

I recently had the privilege of moderating a webinar called “What GCs Want From Their Outside Counsel” with an impressive panel of chief legal officers: Danielle Sheer (Commvault), Rob Morvillo (Olo), and Vanessa Candela (Celonis). All three are sharp, experienced, and deeply respected in the in-house community — and together, they delivered the kind of unvarnished commentary that law firm lawyers don’t often get to hear.

The topic was simple: What do clients really want from their outside counsel?

What followed was a refreshingly blunt, often funny, and undeniably practical conversation about what separates “good” outside counsel from the kind that actually get hired, rehired, and brought into the inner circle. Over 500 BigLaw attorneys attended the webinar — from junior associates to senior partners — a testament to just how important and broadly applicable this topic is in today’s competitive landscape. Below are a few of the key takeaways — straight from the client’s mouth. 

For those interested, I am moderating Volume 2 of What GCs Want From Their Outside Counsel on June 4 at 3 p.m. ET – you can register at https://events.lsuite.co/whatgcswantvol2.

Being Right Is Good. Helping Me Be Effective Is Better.

Danielle said it best: “You have to make decisions every day about whether you want to be right or you want to be effective.” That’s a shift many GCs — especially those who came from big firms — have to make when they move in-house. And it’s a shift outside counsel need to understand if they want to be trusted partners.

All three CLOs agreed that the best law firm attorneys on their speed dial aren’t the ones who deliver 10-page memos that map every hypothetical risk. They’re the ones who can distill complexity into action. Who help the GC move forward with eyes open. Who don’t panic and can meaningfully engage in a thought exercise of: “Help me understand the risk: What’s the foul if we get this wrong?” 

It’s not about ignoring risk. It’s about putting risk into a business context — and helping the client navigate it pragmatically.

Fast, Practical, and Contextual: That’s What Gets You the Call

If there was one point made repeatedly, it was this: GCs are moving fast. They don’t have time for law school hypotheticals or slow-drip analysis. They need practical answers, quickly — even if it’s just a thoughtful gut check.

Vanessa shared how little uninterrupted time she has during the workday. “I do my thinking at night and on weekends,” she said. “So when I pick up the phone during the day, I need real, actionable advice — right now. I don’t need every jurisdictional caveat. I need your gut.”

And if outside counsel are nervous about giving that gut reaction? That’s fair. But as Rob pointed out, experienced GCs know how to use that information — and they’re not expecting perfection.

Thoughtful, Strategic Pitches Win Every Time

If the first time a law firm reaches out is when a lawsuit hits the docket or a regulatory action gets announced, you’re too late. Danielle shared that when she receives cold outreach in response to something in the news — her instinct is to go in the opposite direction. “I’m so turned off that that’s the first time you chose to reach out to me,” she said. The firms she trusts are the ones who have invested in the relationship before there’s billable work on the table.

But even when a pitch opportunity does arise, there’s a right and wrong way to approach it. The panel was unanimous: The best pitches offer a strategy, not a résumé. Danielle said she will always choose the firm that gets straight to the heart of the matter over the one that focuses on credentials. “You might be giving away a little bit of your secret sauce — but that’s the one I hire over and over again.”

The most compelling firms are the ones that take time to understand the business, the issue, and the GC’s risk tolerance. They ask good questions. They come in with ideas. Vanessa said she often uses pitch meetings to pose a real scenario — nothing too sensitive, but relevant and timely — and she can tell immediately which lawyers know how to deliver practical, business-aligned advice. “You don’t need to tell me you have 17 offices around the world,” she said. “I want to know how you think — and whether I can work with you when the stakes are high.”

Final Thought: Small Gestures Build Big Trust

Throughout the conversation, the panelists emphasized that trust isn’t built through grand gestures — it’s built in the small moments that show you’re invested in the relationship.

Rob captured it perfectly: “If I can call you for a gut check and I know it’s not going to show up on my bill, now you’re top of mind for me. You’re read into what’s going on with the business — so when the project hits, I’m gonna go to you for that project.”

In a competitive market, that kind of mindset — being generous with your time, staying close to the business, and playing the long game — is what turns transactional engagements into lasting partnerships.

If you’re outside counsel, that’s the goal. And if you’re wondering how to get there? It starts with treating every interaction as an investment in the relationship — because clients notice.

Andrew Dick is the VP of Strategic Initiatives at The L Suite, a community of 4,000 CLOs, GCs, and senior in-house legal executives. He hosts Client Quotient™, a GC roundtable video series that explores how law firms can deliver greater value and forge stronger relationships with today’s GCs and CLOs. Learn more at luminateplus.com/client-quotient.

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