engagement-terms-billing-guidelines
Outside counsel guidelines (OCGs) — drafting, review, gap analysis, and targeted updates for in-house legal teams. Build new OCGs calibrated to maturity level (light, standard, comprehensive), review existing OCGs against 15-component best practice framework, add or update specific sections (AI policy, AFA terms, D&I, rate review), and produce GC briefing notes for internal buy-in. Trigger on: 'draft billing guidelines', 'outside counsel guidelines', 'OCG', 'billing expectations', 'review our guidelines', 'update the AI clause', 'what should our billing guidelines cover', 'we don't have billin
npx skills add lawve-ai/awesome-legal-skills --skill engagement-terms-billing-guidelines-scott-margetts --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
This skill helps in-house legal teams draft, review, and maintain outside counsel guidelines (OCGs). It covers how external firms bill, staff, communicate, and deliver services, calibrated to maturity level (light, standard, comprehensive). It can generate an OCG document, a GC briefing note, and guidance for internal rollout, tailored to the user’s stated maturity and existing processes. It also supports producing a GC decision-focused memo and internal rollout plans when needed. Trigger phrases include drafting or updating billing guidelines, OCGs, AI policy updates, rate review terms, and related topics.
How it works
- It defines a 15-component framework governing OCGs, with mandated components for all OCGs: Preamble & Scope, Engagement & Retention Process, Communication & Reporting, Staffing & Supervision, Billing Rates & Rate Increases, Budgets & Budget Management. It adds components for higher maturity levels: AFAs, Accruals, Invoice Format & Submission, Time Entry Requirements, Prohibited Fees, Prohibited/Controlled Expenses, Block Billing, Third-Party Vendors, and AI Use Policy, plus optional advanced-maturity topics (D&I, data security, etc.).
- It supports four operating modes (Draft OCG, Gap Analysis, Targeted Update, Internal Business Case) with explicit outputs per mode. Output incorporates inline assumptions, and uses the provided pre-flight inputs (maturity level, panel size, platform, existing OCGs, jurisdiction) to tailor scope and format.
- It emphasizes a jurisdiction-aware approach to benchmarks and currency, defaulting to UK/GBP data unless specified otherwise, and notes platform-agnostic formatting with .docx as default deliverable.
When to use it
- When starting from scratch to create a full OCG aligned to maturity level.
- When evaluating existing OCGs against the 15-component framework to identify gaps.
- When updating a specific section (e.g., AI use, rate review, D&I requirements).
- When building internal GC buy-in documents and rollout plans.
What it can touch
- Outputs include: the OCG document (.docx), the GC Briefing Note (.docx), and cover emails (text in chat).
- It uses structured inputs such as practice areas, billing arrangements, pain points, and maturity level to calibrate content coverage and enforcement.
Caveats
- The tool’s guidance is bounded by the 15-component framework and the maturity calibration described in the pre-flight. It relies on user-provided inputs for scope and context. It does not synthesize external documents beyond the stated framework. Any outputs are subject to the user’s final edits and organizational approvals.
# Engagement Terms and Billing Guidelines You are an Outside Counsel Management skill that helps in-house legal teams draft, review, and maintain outside counsel guidelines (OCGs) — the operational document that sets expectations for how external law firms bill, staff, communicate, and deliver legal services. ## Who uses this skill The primary user is an **in-house legal operations manager** or **in-house lawyer** who instructs and manages external legal counsel. They typically report to a General Counsel (GC) who owns the firm relationships at a senior level and is accountable to the CFO and board for legal spend. This skill helps the user in two directions: **Outward — to external counsel.** The OCG is the document firms receive. It defines what the in-house team expects, what they will and won't pay for, and how the engagement operates day to day. **Upward — to the GC.** The user often needs to secure GC buy-in before rolling out new or revised OCGs. This skill produces internal briefing notes that frame the OCG in terms the GC cares about: cost predictability, risk reduction, spend governance, and demonstrable value to the business. ## Why OCGs matter 60% of in-house legal team
- Who uses this skill
- Why OCGs matter
- How to talk to the user
- Pre-flight — Confirm Before Producing Any Output
- Operating Modes
- Mode 1 — Draft OCG
- Mode 2 — Review and Gap Analysis
- Mode 3 — Targeted Update
- Mode 4 — Internal Business Case
- Domain Knowledge — The 15 Components
- Rules vs Guidelines — The Critical Distinction
- Calibrating Intensity by Maturity Level
- Domain Knowledge — Prohibited Fees
- Standard Prohibited Fees (include in all OCGs)
What does the engagement-terms-billing-guidelines skill do?
Outside counsel guidelines (OCGs) — drafting, review, gap analysis, and targeted updates for in-house legal teams. Build new OCGs calibrated to maturity level (light, standard, comprehensive), review existing OCGs against 15-component best practice framework, add or update specific sections (AI policy, AFA terms, D&I, rate review), and produce GC briefing notes for internal buy-in. Trigger on: 'draft billing guidelines', 'outside counsel guidelines', 'OCG', 'billing expectations', 'review our guidelines', 'update the AI clause', 'what should our billing guidelines cover', 'we don't have billin
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add lawve-ai/awesome-legal-skills --skill engagement-terms-billing-guidelines-scott-margetts --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From lawve-ai/awesome-legal-skills, a repository with 618 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.