Request 1       What does your organisation spend on legal fees e.g. external legal advice and what is the breakdown of fees and expenses. 

Response 1     £18,863.82 - 2013/14 

Request 2       What is the breakdown of spend e.g. what percentage of work is completed on an hourly rate basis, capped fee, fixed fee etc. 

Response 2     100% is hourly rate 

Request 3        Who in your organisation is responsible for managing external legal spend. 

Response 3     Assistant Chief Officer 

Request 4       What controls do you have in place to manage external legal counsel spend check with line manager and with the ACO. 

Response 4     Each legal counsel would be evaluated 

Request 5        Do you use any of the eBilling (also known as Enterprise Legal Management or Legal Spend Management) tools (e.g. Serengetti, Mitratech, CT Tymetrix, Datacert etc.) available in the market to manage your legal spend – if yes what are you currently paying for this system and does the vendor charge your firms to use the same. 

Response 5     Dispatch invoice 

Request 6        Do you use a matter management system and if yes how much do you pay for the system. 

Response 6     No 

Request 7        How do you decide if work is completed internally or by external counsel. 

Response 7     We do not have a legal department. 

Request 8       What performance management do you complete with your external legal counsel to ensure you are receiving value for money.

Response 8     Procurement framework. 

Request 9       What is the breakdown of spend e.g. % of time billed by partner, by senior associate, junior associate, trainee and paralegals etc. 

Response 9     N/A 

Request 10     What is the breakdown of your legal spend by location e.g. how much work is performed in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast etc 

Response 10   The company we deal with are based in Leeds but is a National company. 

Request 11     How do you measure what value added services law firms provide to you (e.g. free advice, free training, free secondees etc.) 

Response 11   Procurement framework. 

Request 12     Do you use external consultants to advice on how to manage your legal spend more effectively.  If yes, who and what have you spent with them in the last 12 months. 

Response 12   No.