Most lawyers are enthusiastic about innovation projects, until they are put in charge. The toll it could take on their billable hours, the risk of attaching their reputation to an innovation project, and simply the work itself can all be overwhelming. For that reason, they usually prefer to let someone else to innovate for them.
In this interview session, we will highlight how a practicing attorney was convinced to get involved in an innovation project, what support was provided to help her succeed, and what she did to solve her own problem – to the benefit of the entire firm – within the time span of 4 months.
Questions Barbara will ask speakers:
1) Tell us in short about your project and how was it different from the others that you did in the past.
2) What made you say yes to this program?
3) What were the biggest challenges and takeaways from going through this process?
4) What do you think law firms can do to encourage more practicing attorneys to get involved in projects like this?
5) What are the benefits of having practicing attorneys involved in innovation projects and why doesn’t it happen very often?
Moderator:
@Barbara Gondim Da Rocha - Head of Knowledge Management and Innovation, RMS Advogados
Speakers:
@Floor Blindenbach - Founder & CEO, Organizing4Innovation
Mayna Felix - Lawyer, RMS Advogados
Recorded on 06-28-2022
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More and more law firms are turning to analyzing their data to drive business decisions. What is the main driver behind this and what do firm leaders see data providing today that would help make decisions? In addition, we will discuss in this interview what types of data should they be looking at and what tools are or should they be using?
Questions that Tracey will ask speakers:
-What is the main driver behind more and more law firms turning to analyzing their data to drive business decisions?
-What do firm leaders see data providing today that would help make decisions?
-What types of data should they be looking at?
-What tools are or should they be using?
Moderator:
@Tracey Pardo - IS Improvement and Reporting Analyst, Cooley LLP
Speakers:
@Royale Price - Director of Pricing and Matter Management, Greenberg Traurig
Katie Styler - Principal, Axiom Consulting Partners
Recorded on 06-24-2022
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We all know that new technology without adoption, isn’t useful to advancing our organizational goals nor does it highlight the value of the technology.
But how do you articulate the value of the technology without adoption? It’s a bit of the chicken or the egg conversation that anyone deploying a new technology faces. Join us as we discuss how business sponsors can articulate the adoption and value of legal technology to drive sustainable change.
Questions Rachel will ask Nikki:
• Adoption is critical to the success to legal technology, during the planning process when should the conversation around adoption take place?
• Do you think challenge to legal tech adoption is a US centric problem or is this a global industry problem?
• Do you think lawyers are really change adverse or is the value not always articulated?
• Who should decide if technology is successfully adopted? Who is responsible for articulating the value?
• What skills do you think need to be applied to have successful adoption?
Moderator:
@Rachel Shields Williams - Director, Knowledge Management, Sidley Austin LLP
Speaker:
@Nicola Shaver - CEO, Co-Founder, LegalTechnology Hub
Recorded on 06-23-2022
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This session will review the different opportunities to make data-driven decisions in law firms and the challenges that go with them. Ideally the session, will differentiate between organizational/enterprise applications and client facing/legal advice applications.
The goal is to map when data-driven decision-making is a good idea and when it is not. Further the session, will explore what to look for in terms of actions taken from data alone (bias, available data) and give tips how to get started and where to find structured data within your organization/firm to get started for a quick win.
Questions Christiane will ask Andrew:
• How can data enhance decision making?
• When is it not appropriate?
• What are the limitations: Bias, Data Hygiene
• What needs to happen to make better use of data in the future?
Moderator:
@Christiane Matuch - Manager, Axiom Consulting Partners
Speaker:
@Andrew Medeiros - Director of Innovation Solutions, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
Recorded on 04-21-2022
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Everyone is talking about data analytics and the evolving role of KM in conducting analytics. In this podcast, we will discuss where do you start, what tools are needed, what skill sets are required, how do you avoid stepping on the toes of others in the firm, such as the marketing or finance team and who may also be doing analysis of data?
Questions Carolyn will ask Bobbi:
1. Traditionally KM has been about developing standards, templates and taxonomies to locate knowledge and expertise within the organization. But, now, we are starting to see the evolving “role of data” in providing actionable information as part of knowledge management. Bobbi, does this resonate with you?
2. DA Investments/Efforts/Initiatives:
a. The increasing interest in data analytics – used to be fairly focused on financials and LPM, but now seeing analytics around diversity and retention, legal process improvement – is that consistent with what you are seeing in firms?
b. Is the push to do more with data analytics coming from clients or from within firms themselves as they strive to find ways to improve efficiencies and profitability?
3. Building Capabilities (Hiring Trends/Roles)
a. A few years ago there was a trend to hire data scientists and data analysts – is this trend continuing?
b. How are you seeing that KM’s role is evolving to support data analytics capabilities?
4. Where to Start (Demonstrating Value/Low Hanging Fruit).
A What is the low hanging fruit?
B What would be the advice you’d give the person who wants to show the value of data analytics as applied in the
“real world” of a practicing law firm
Moderator:
@Caroline Sweeney - Director of Knowledge Management & Innovation, Dorsey & Whitney
Speaker:
@Bobbi Basile - Managing Director, HBR Consulting LLC
Recorded on 04-08-2022
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There is current trend towards legal ops in law firms, but not all is equal. It is quite common to see difference in titles, department names and even what is being covered.
How are legal operations shaping up in the law firm space and how will these departments help to meet the evolving market demands?
Specific interview questions Tracey asked Chris:
1. If a firm is looking to start a legal operations department, what are the key components?
2. How does having a legal operations team increase efficiency? How does legal operations improve value for the client?
3. Are there any tools your recommend to improve performance?
4. What are the latest trends in legal operations? What departments are new?
5. What are the biggest obstacles in growing the legal operations team?
6. How do you justify additional headcount on the legal operations side?
Moderator:
@Tracey Pardo - IS Improvement and Reporting Analyst, Cooley LLP
Speaker:
@Christopher Emerson - Chief Legal Operations and Innovations, Quarles & Brady
Recorded on 04-08-2022
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Change management is a critical part of any successful project or initiative. With so much change happening both in the legal industry and in the world as a whole, a good change management program has never been more important, especially if your firm expects to continue with a hybrid work model into the foreseeable future.
In this podcast, we’ll talk to Sharon Ford, Change Management Manager at Perkins Coie, about how to think about change management in a hybrid workplace.
Questions that Holly will ask Sharon:
1. Over the past two years, people have gone through a tremendous amount of change. Does the pace of change in the world at large impact how we talk about change internally to our stakeholders and end users?
2. What are some aspects of change management that become more important when communicating with a hybrid workforce?
3. What are some specific issues, or ‘gotchas’, that people involved in change management efforts may not realize will be problematic?
4. A successful change management effort will always tailor the message to the audience. Has the way you think about different audiences changed in a hybrid environment?
5. If you could provide listeners with one (or two!) takeaways for putting together a successful change management initiative in a hybrid environment, what would it be?
Moderator:
@Holly Hanna - KM Firm Solutions Manager, Perkins Coie LLP
Speaker:
@Sharon Ford - Change Management Manager, Perkins Coie LLP
Recorded on 03-31-2022
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Distributed firms may have been under the radar for a few years, but now they are breaking the Amlaw 200. Distributed firms operate without a physical space. They rely heavily on technology for communication and to deliver services. Join us to learn about the players, their structure and whether they are the future model for law firms.
Questions Mike will ask the speakers:
1. TJ, Dan, tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got involved in the distributed law space.
2. Dan , can you give us some history regarding distributed law firms-what they are, their structure, how did they come to be and how they have evolved?
3. What sorts of law do distributed firms commonly practice? Who are their typical clients and their needs?
4. TJ, How would you describe the sort of lawyer who would be interested and thrive in this environment?
5. TJ, what sort of technology infrastructure does Fischer Broyles firms use? How do you license technology? (Dan can add)
6. Dan, do distributed firms employ legal technologists, operations specialists or knowledge professionals or are these all outsourced? (TJ can add)
7. TJ, you have said that process and culture are keys to the success of Fisher Broyles. Can you tell us about that. (Dan add what he knows about other distributed firms here)
8. TJ, Fisher Broyles was the first distributed firm to enter the AmLaw 200. I understand 2021 financials are very impressive. Is this an indicator that this is a viable model for others long term? (Dan can add regarding the rest of the industry)
9. What do you both think is on the horizon for distributed firms?
Moderator:
@Michael Ertel - KM Attorney, Paul Hastings LLP
Speakers:
Dan Packel - Business of Law Reporter, ALM Media, LLC
TJ Dovale - Managing Partner, IP, FisherBroyles, LLP
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For all the differences between operating the military and working in private sector, there is one constant both realms share – innovating to remain relevant and foremost in their respective fields.
In this podcast session, we will discuss how leaders across the U.S. Army are establishing knowledge management programs to enhance shared understanding, learning and decision-making. In addition, we will further explore how to apply the military’s approach to innovation to law firm KM processes.
Moderator:
@Amy Monaghan - Senior Practice Innovations Manager, Perkins Coie
Speaker:
Andrew Bragg - Chief of Knowledge Management, U.S. European Command
Recorded on 02-11-2022
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Corporate legal departments are becoming more and more strategic in how they deploy resources and how they relate to outside counsel and other providers.
In this video interview, we will discuss the importance of Legal Operations in this process and how law firm KM departments can benefit by partnering with these in-house teams to adjust and improve their firm’s service delivery.
Questions Barbara will ask speakers:
-The rise of legal operations in corporate legal departments has been a popular topic in the industry for the past few years. Can you tell us what legal operations is all about?
-How did the adoption of legal operations impact the way clients relate to outside counsels?
-What is the role of Knowledge Management in this scenario?
-How can law firms benefit from adjusting to these changes? Do you have some success cases to share?
-What is the biggest takeaway on the topic?
Moderator:
@Barbara Gondim Da Rocha - Head of Knowledge Management and Innovation, RMS Advogados
Speakers:
@Jennifer Mendez - Director of Knowledge Management Innovation, Fisher & Phillips LLP
@Anthony Widdop - Global Director, Legal Operations at Shearman & Sterling
Recorded on 01-28-2022
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