More Than a Retainer: Value-Based Pricing for Ongoing Legal Advice with Collin Smyser

Advice & Counsel work is due for a rethink. In this episode of the UpLevel View, Value Strategies Founder and pricing guru Ken Callander is joined by Collin Smyser, General Counsel of OptionCare, to explore how legal departments are moving beyond the billable hour with fixed monthly retainers. Discover how strategic advisory work is being redefined around accessibility, outcomes, and value, not minutes. Tune in and learn how to lead your legal department into a future where value, not hours, drives results. Subscribe to the UpLevel View and improve your legal leadership vision today!

Guest Additional Info

Collin Smyser is General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Option Care Health. Collin has decades of in-house experience, including companies such as Walgreens, Kimberly-Clark, and Elanco. At Option Care, he leads legal and governance across a nationwide healthcare provider network. Beyond the boardroom, Collin is driving industry-wide change, from policy panels to advocacy for home-based care.

Highlights

• Challenges of hourly rate pricing.

• Predictability and the burden of hourly billing.

• Perception of value in legal services.

• Importance of delivering on pricing commitments.

• Benefits of service level agreements.

• Predictability reduces internal and vendor frictions.

• Scoping advice and counsel work.

• Dealing with changes in the scope of legal work.

• Using advice and counsel work to secure bigger projects.

• Implementing change management for pricing models.

• Handling institutional knowledge in firm transitions.

• Competitive processes sharpen firm proposals.

• Starting small with value-based pricing transformations.

Episode Resources

• UpLevel Ops Master Chef GPT: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-oVwrdPo0I-master-chef

• UpLevel Ops Wanderlust GPT: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-eDSeep6qT-wanderlust-guide

• Thought Leadership from UpLevel Ops: https://uplevelops.com/thoughtleadership/

• LINK (Legal Innovators Network): http://Linkforlegal.com

• Connect with Stephanie Corey

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcorey-ulo

• https://fr.linkedin.com/company/uplevel-ops

• https://uplevelops.com/

• https://uplevelops.com/legal-operations-consulting/

• https://uplevelops.com/thoughtleadership/

• https://uplevelops.com/services/gai-management/

• GAI Management Services from UpLevel Ops: https://uplevelops.com/services/gai-management/

• https://www.intel.la/content/www/xl/es/homepage.html

• GAI Management Solutions from UpLevel Ops: https://uplevelops.com/services/gai-management/

• April Miller Boise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-miller-boise-8913404/

• Stephanie Corey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcorey-ulo/

• Ken Callander's bio: https://uplevelops.com/our_team/ken-callander/ Ken's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kencallander/

• UpLevel Ops: http://uplevelops.com/

• Value Strategies from UpLevel Ops: https://uplevelops.com/valuestrategies/