Good delegation expands what a lawyer can do for a client. Poor delegation creates a second problem on top of the first. The difference is knowing when the task is not ready to be handed off, or should not be handed off at all.
Do not delegate unclear strategy
If you cannot explain the objective, authority limits, and acceptable outcomes, the task is not ready. Local counsel can help execute a defined step, but they should not have to guess the client's strategy from a bundle of documents.
Do not delegate outside competence
A network is not a way to sell expertise you do not have. If the client needs specialist advice, bring in the specialist transparently. Delegation should support competent service, not disguise a gap.
Do not share before conflicts are cleared
Pressure is not a reason to send the file first and ask questions later. If the receiving lawyer cannot clear conflicts quickly enough, narrow the disclosure or find another colleague.
Do not proceed where the client would be surprised
If a reasonable client would expect to be told that another lawyer is involved, tell them. Informed clients rarely object to proper local support; they object to silence.
Do not delegate non-delegable judgment
Some decisions belong with the lawyer who owns the client relationship: settlement posture, admissions, privilege calls, commercial risk, and final advice. Local counsel can inform those decisions, but should not accidentally inherit them.
The safest lawyers are not the ones who delegate everything. They are the ones who delegate the right task, to the right colleague, with the right boundaries.