Interesting Quip -- On The State Of Lawyers' Billing By The Hour

Friday afternoon fodder, from an AmLaw Daily panel discussion, led by Lexis/Nexis -- do go read it all, especially the Qwest GC's thoughts:

. . . .Panelist Thomas Sabatino, former general counsel at Schering-Plough, suggested that students undertake an internship program similar to doctors residency upon graduation from law school. Other panelists disagreed on the feasibility of the idea. “I'm indifferent about whether they learn that at a law firm or in school, as long as I don’t have to pay for it,” Citigroup’s Helfer said.

In the end, no one seemed to agree on anything except that radical change was necessary. “We’re a profession that, over the last hundred years, has not done anything differently and the only industry that is proud of that,” Qwest’s Baer said. “For us not to embrace change and innovation over the next eighteen months, over the next eighteen years, we are all going to fail. . . .”

Qwest Communications general counsel Richard Baer said that alternative fee arrangements have been a "colossal train wreck" without expanding on the reasons. There is a story there, for certain.