Win and Keep In-House Clients: A General Counsel's Insights for Law Firms

Landing a new client is just the beginning. For law firms working with in-house counsel, the greater challenge lies in maintaining long-term relationships that evolve beyond transactional exchanges. Candisse Williamson, General Counsel at Hartbeat, Kevin Hart's global media company, brings a unique perspective to this challenge, having worked both in Big Law and built legal departments from the ground up at two entertainment companies.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Candisse joins Michelle Calcote King to explore how general counsels evaluate outside firms and what drives them to become repeat clients. She explains why smart lawyering beats fancy dinners, how firms can stay present without being pushy and why accepting feedback is the difference between keeping clients and losing them. Candisse also shares the trademark over-lawyering trap that ruins relationships, the creative pricing conversation that sealed a deal for her and why diversity initiatives remain non-negotiable for clients who have hiring power.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

• How in-house counsel select outside law firms to partner with and why trusted referrals from peer companies outweigh cold outreach.

• The proactive relationship maintenance tactics that demonstrate industry expertise and create value between active legal matters.

• The importance of accepting and implementing client feedback in nurturing long-term relationships.

• Why prioritize billing over strategic guidance can quickly erode client trust.

• The difference between staying present through value-add touchpoints versus self-promotional check-ins that feel transactional.

• What makes client events and alumni networks effective at building lasting connections.

• Three priorities for winning and keeping sophisticated in-house counsel clients.

• Why diversity initiatives and inclusive hiring practices are top-of-mind factors in Candisse's selection decisions.

About Our Featured Guest

Candisse Williamson is an accomplished entertainment lawyer, strategic business advisor and dealmaker known for navigating complex transactions and driving business growth. As General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Hartbeat, she leads the company's business and legal affairs strategy across film, television, audio, digital content, distribution, live events and branded entertainment. Her focus is to ensure that creative projects remain both profitable and protected.

Candisse started her career in private practice, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and private equity, before moving in-house to a leading global entertainment company. She then transitioned into building and leading legal departments from the ground up, developing operational frameworks and guiding growth-stage companies through rapid expansion and major transitions.

A strategic leader, Candisse drives results through trust, accountability, clear communication, and a commitment to collaboration and mentorship. She fosters high-performance teams and colleagues often follow her to new opportunities, which is evident of the impact, trust and growth she inspires. Beyond her legal and business acumen, Candisse is a bold advocate for diversity and is committed to ensuring that boardrooms, deal tables and leadership teams reflect the diversity of the audiences they serve.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Check out Hartbeat

• Follow Hartbeat on LinkedIn and Instagram

• Connect with Candisse Williamson on LinkedIn

• Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn

Sponsor For This Episode

This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink.

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