Insights
Legal Transformation
a Smarter Way
This isn't futurology or theory, these transformations are taking place today. See how professional improvement starts with the personal and how the agendas of progressive legal departments and law firms can fit together to solve a previously-irreconcilable puzzle.
Please click on this video to see how.
The Smarter Law approach has the unprecedented honour of being the cover feature of "The Practice" by Harvard Law School's Center on the Legal Profession.
This comprehensive article covers all aspects of our ground-breaking methodology and its impact on individual lawyers, legal departments/operations, law firms and the formation of "Smarter Relationships in Legal Services".
Please click here to go to the Harvard feature article.
Three Transformation Truths
1. Innovation doesn't have to be innovative.
2. Futurology is not your friend.
3. If you can't (or won't) measure it, you can't manage it.
Please click on this video to find out why.
And more in the ACC Docket mentioned.
Change, Progress & our S-Curve Challenge
In any profession, individuals, internal organisations & external advisers typically make major progress focusing on their strengths, the unique challenge we face is what to do when those strengths take us so far but no further: a plateau, glass-ceiling or stagnation.
Please click on the video for an explanation of the "S-Curve to Success".
A wholly subjective (but nonetheless definitive) guide to how to make a successful pitch..that law firms really shouldn't need but apparently do.
Dozens of the world’s leading law firms pitched for the "biggest" single RFP prize in history, designed and managed by Smarter Law Solutions. Chairs, managing partners, heads of "business" development, "rainmakers", "innovation" chiefs and practice area superstars all sat down on both sides of the Atlantic to explain why "they" should be chosen.
Please click The Legal Business icon to read what happened......
Modernising the Practice of Law
As former global general counsel and global leader of legal services at Ernst & Young, Smarter Law Solutions CEO Trevor Faure outlined the transformation imperatives that legal departments and law firms face and how addressing Zero Sum Game behaviour, work disaggregation and technology were proving instrumental.
Please click on the video.
The ABC of Legal Department Benchmarking
Benchmarking is vital to objectively assess the right level of legal resources, advocate or defend to management and understand what actions are need to reach the right level. But it is a tool, not an "oracle of truth"!
To see how to use this tool for maximum impact, please click on this video.
Modernising Law Firm Business Development
As former global general counsel and global leader of legal services at Ernst & Young, Smarter Law Solutions CEO, Trevor Faure critiqued the traditional forms of law firm business development and advised how these methods can be modernised to reach world-class standards.
Click on the video.
Publication Contents
Smarter Law
transforming busy lawyers into business leaders
Click to pause
Workshop Whiteboards:
What's On Your Mind?
Smarter Law Workshops have a one-item agenda: What's On Your Mind? Attendees share their challenges and these are then addressed using our methodologies and case studies, resulting in tailored, practical action plans to address each challenge raised. See how the issues spontaneously raised by legal leaders in this private forum are so similar across hemispheres and cultures. We call them the Whiteboards of the World:
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, HONG KONG?
Demonstrating value
What is the right size of the legal department?
Make/Buy – Insource vs. Outsource?
How do you assess the Net Cost – resources vs. penalties?
How do you assess the value of proactive lawyering?
The business does not want our training or advice – and the gaps cost us!
How do I ensure knowledge & visibility of client legal issues?
How to create business consensus, buy-in & lawyers’ understanding?
Rolls Royce vs. VW Golf service?
How to change lawyers’ mindsets?
Role of Compliance vs. Legal
Optimal use of lawyers’ time?
How to find the right type of people?
How do you define & manage legal vs. business responsibilities?
Change management & implementation
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, LONDON?
How do I create an environment of change?
How do I implement a target operating model?
Doing More for Less
Training program for personal development
Legal KPIs, particularly quality
Demonstrating value
Organisational design & development
One team culture – going from “them and us” to one team
How do I understand and address my own patterns of resistance to change?
How to balance legal priorities to risk?
How to encourage my team & function to become more proactive than responsive?
How do I fully establish myself in the general counsel role?
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, DUBAI?
Establishing an authoritative voice anew, in a changing environment
Demonstrating value?
Best, most effective, influential role for Legal in relation to the business?
Define optimal legal function role & model
Define and measure success
Right organisation structure & service level / mode for a multi-layered business
More for less
Speed of service
Continuing functional improvement in the face of management indifference and strategic uncertainty
Risk vs. Benefit balance
Staff morale in an evolving environment of regulation
Weariness of constant change in business organisation & environment
How do I attain the level of Managing Lawyer?
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, NEW YORK?
How do I demonstrate value?
What is the legal department mission and how do we achieve it?
What should the rules of engagement be?
How can I influence seniors & stakeholders?
Defining the right shape of the team
More for less
KPIs for the CFO / CEO
How do I operate I areas outside or opposite to my skillset?
How do you keep people interested in the absence of pay rises and promotions –
particularly high performers with abilities beyond the work available?
How do we adapt our own practices to constant change?
What skillset should a team/individual have for 5-7 years hence?
New Year Insights
On the last day of each year we offer our humble reflections on the past year and hopeful wishes for the future.
Please click on a video.
