Strategies to save on legal bills.

• Position: LEGAL - Brief article

With companies scouring every budget line to cut or eliminate unnecessary costs, reducing legal fees probably occupies a prominent place on the priority list. The Valorem Law Group, a litigation firm in Chicago, offers five steps executives should consider in paring their legal spending and achieving greater budget certainty.

1 Consider switching to alternative fees so the company isn't charged every time two or more partners from the chosen law firm discuss legal issues.

2 Ask your primary legal firm to include local counsel's fees in their flat fee price. That puts the managerial onus on the main firm to control--and rein in, if necessary--needless work performed by the local counsel. An added benefit is that the client doesn't have to review two sets of legal bills.

3 Insist the outside law...