Most in-house legal teams lack the time or resources for detailed bill review—allowing non-compliant law firm billing to slip through and inflate outside counsel costs.

Corporate legal departments continue to face mounting pressure: budgets remain constrained, workloads are intensifying, and law firm billing rates are reaching historic highs. Amid these competing demands, legal bill review remains a critical—yet often under-resourced—function.

As law firm billing rates climb and internal resources tighten, in-house legal teams are under more pressure than ever to manage outside counsel spend strategically. In this 2025 survey, LegalBillReview.com and In-House Connect gathered insights from legal leaders on how they approach invoice review, enforce billing guidelines, and control legal costs. The results reveal clear gaps—in time, tools, and visibility—and point to a growing interest in third-party solutions that can deliver savings, accountability, and relief for time-strapped teams.

In-house legal teams face numerous challenges as we approach 2025. Amid budget cuts, hiring freezes, and potential law firm rate increases, it can feel impossible to continue doing more with less.

Detailed, human-led bill review paired with dynamic reporting and analysis of spend creates a unique opportunity to manage these challenges while conserving and improving budget, personnel resources, and law firm relations.