Discover Smarter Panel Management and Creation
Build a better-performing law firm panel — and manage it with data, discipline, and results.
Take Back Control Over Your Law Firm Relationships and Costs
Create a Panel With True Partnerships, Not Just Rate Cards
It’s difficult (if not impossible) to manage skyrocketing firm rates with what feels like no leverage. If your panel is bloated, biased toward incumbents, or failing to deliver real value — it’s time for a reset.
✔ Build a disciplined, data-driven panel with partners who earn your loyalty (not assume it)
✔ Align firms with your goals and budget
✔ Turn panel management into a strategic advantage
✔ Reduce bloated firm rosters and elite firm bias
✔ Enforce accountability and rigor
✔ Make your company the client of choice
Build and Manage Law Firm Panels That Actually Perform
You deserve more than just a list of preferred firms — you need a strategic, data-backed approach to selecting the right partners and managing them for long-term performance. That’s where Mitratech AdvanceLaw comes in.
We help in-house teams design custom-vetted law firm panels that balance quality, value, and innovation. From needs scoping, RFP, and rate negotiations to performance analytics and relationship support, we deliver the infrastructure and insights that turn your law firm relationships into a competitive advantage — not a cost center.
Whether you’re building your panel from scratch or optimizing what you already have, we provide:
- Structured firm evaluation based on your real priorities
- Hands-on sourcing and negotiation support
- Ongoing analytics and firm relationship management
- A built-in system for driving accountability and results
- This isn’t just panel creation — it’s law firm management, reimagined.
Want to learn how we evaluate firms based on quality, responsiveness, and diversity?
Explore Our Panel MarketplaceExplore Our Proven Approach to Panel Creation & Law Firm Management
Mitratech’s panel management solution is built on a proven process that delivers lasting value, not just short-term cost cuts. This approach enables legal teams to migrate work from high-cost legacy firms to a modern panel that can deliver rates 30–40% lower without compromising quality.
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Custom-Vetted Panel Creation
Identify and onboard a curated list of 10–15 high-quality, mid-market firms, selected for their expertise, innovation, and competitive rates
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Change Management Support
Secure internal adoption from in-house lawyers and stakeholders with tailored communications and engagement strategies.
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Commercial Structures
Enable control through multi-year rate cards, AFAs and spend analytics,s to ensure panel firms reflect your goals and standards.
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Quality Management
Establish preferred client status with selected firms and use structured tools to exchange feedback and align expectations.
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Law Firm Performance Monitoring
Track firm and matter-level performance in real time to improve accountability and raise the bar on value delivery.
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Rate Benchmarks
Leverage rate benchmarks to negotiate panel and non-panel firm rates.
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Quarterly Analytics
Get access to comprehensive dashboards tracking spend migration & enabling control over firm retention.
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Sourcing-as-a-Service
When new matters arise, our expert team helps match the right panel lawyer to the job — fast, cost-effectively, and with diversity in mind.
The Impact of Effective Panel Management, Proven by Our Clients
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Client Spotlight: $40B Global Tech Company
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Challenge:
A fragmented U.S. firm ecosystem with 100+ firms, top-heavy spend, and no performance infrastructure.Solution:
Custom 13-firm U.S. panel designed and managed end-to-end — from firm selection to relationship oversight.Results:
- 40% lower rates vs. pre-panel Top 10
- $40M annual savings by Year 5
- 80%+ of new matters flowing to panel firms
- 100x ROI
- Panel renewed twice
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Client Spotlight: $20B Global Services Company
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Challenge:
Post-merger complexity, 300+ legacy firms, and pressure to meet aggressive synergy and budget goals — all without a unified panel strategy.Solution:
Launched and managed global 14-firm panel, including firm vetting, sourcing, performance tracking, and full panel operations oversight.Results:
- 30%+ reduction in external legal fees
- Majority of legal work and new matters now routed to panel
- High and rising firm performance quarter over quarter
- Panel renewed three times
Get More From Your Outside Counsel — For Less.
Give us time for one demo; we’ll show you a better panel with real results.
Start the FixWhat You Gain With a Smarter Panel Management Strategy
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Lower Costs, Without Compromise
Achieve rates 30–40% below elite firms, without sacrificing quality or responsiveness.
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Expert Sourcing, On Demand
Offload the burden of sourcing. We handle firm vetting, RFPs, and negotiations — so you don’t have to.
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Real-Time Performance Evaluation
Track firm performance continuously with data and benchmarks, not just annual reviews.
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Built-In Analytics & Spend Controls
Get visibility and control over your legal spend, panel migration, and diversity impact — all in one place.
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Relationship Strength, Not Just Structure
We support onboarding, feedback, and value-add coordination to turn panel firms into true partners.
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Change Management, Built In
We support your team in rolling out the panel — including stakeholder alignment, communication planning, and firm education — so adoption sticks.
We’ve Worked with Leading Legal Teams Around the World
Need a Great-Value Lawyer Now?
Explore CounselConnector — our self-service marketplace for vetted outside counsel. Access 5,000+ rated firms. Preferred pricing and fast matching. No long RFP cycles
Try CounselConnectorWhat Legal Leaders Are Saying About Panel Management and Transformation
“Our approach means firms develop a deep understanding of our business needs, challenges, and opportunities. And our average strategic partner rate is over 40% lower than our top 10 legacy law firms’ rates.”
“This is the revolution we were looking for. The firms see the direct benefit of their focus and hard work, and DXC receives real benefit from that.”
“The AdvanceLaw program has helped us grow and become better advisers because we know the business so much better.”
“We’re excited to have a platform that allows our work to be evaluated by AdvanceLaw GCs and to have the opportunity to show 350 member companies the creativity, cost-effectiveness, and practicality we can deliver.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is law firm panel management?
Panel management is the structured oversight of your law firm relationships — using data, performance metrics, and consistent evaluation criteria to drive better results. It helps legal departments reduce costs, improve service quality, and ensure firms align with business, diversity, and innovation goals.
What’s the difference between panel creation and panel management?
Panel creation is the strategic design of your firm ecosystem, including needs scoping, RFPs, firm evaluation, and selection. Panel management ensures those firms continue to deliver, with ongoing support for relationship management, matter sourcing, performance tracking, and firm accountability. Together, they create a system; not just a preferred firm list that sits on a shelf.
How does panel management help legal teams perform better?
It enables legal departments to engage the right firms for the right matters — using real-time data, peer insights, and competitive intelligence. This leads to more efficient staffing, higher service quality, and lower overall spend.
Can panel management improve law firm selection?
Yes. Instead of relying on legacy relationships or internal preferences, panel management introduces rigor and skilled staff into firm selection — grounded in performance benchmarks, DEI data, and pricing transparency. It’s smarter, faster, and more defensible.
Does this approach support diversity, innovation, and cost goals?
Absolutely. By embedding these priorities into firm selection criteria and tracking them over time, panel management helps drive real progress — and gives you visibility into which firms are advancing and which are falling short.
How difficult is it to implement a panel management program?
Implementation is straightforward, with full support throughout the process. From panel design to firm onboarding and performance tracking, we guide your team every step of the way — making it easy to launch and sustain long-term success.
What kind of cost savings can legal departments expect?
Legal teams often see 20–40% reductions in external spend through competitive rate structures, “”rightsourcing” work with the best provider, and reduced panel bloat. These savings compound over time — while also improving service delivery.
©2025 Mitratech, Inc. All rights reserved.
©2025 Mitratech, Inc. All rights reserved.