Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions
Published on 1. June 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
100 pages
978-1-78358-109-2 (ISBN)
Description
Historically for many law firms, the primary focus has been on increasing the value of fee-earners: how to make them more productive, and how to help them generate more revenue for the firm. Coupled with the recent economic pressures, it forced decision makers to reduce costs as much as possible whilst still trying to provide the highest level of services to their clients. Those firms who saw this as an opportunity to shift business models, streamline systems and processes, and ensure their firm is efficient and effective are now reaping the rewards. Managing Partners crucial new report Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions looks at the how and why an effective optimization strategy it is critical to the ongoing successes of your firm.
It covers key topics including: + The business case for optimizing support functions + The challenges of optimization projects + Optimization through information, IT, marketing, library/Knowledge and secretarial functions + The role, involvement and importance of firm leadership + Strategic planning within support functions + Utilizing firm wide collaboration for innovation, communication and market position + Changing the game - New approaches to traditional business objectives Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions is packed with in-depth insight, and practical working guidance from over 30 law firms including the likes of Seyfarth Shaw, Addleshaw Goddard, Riverview Law, Fish Richardson, Lathrop & Gage, O'Melveny & Myers, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Brown Rudnick, Womble Carlyle, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, White & Case, and many more - Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions also features case studies including: + The value and profitability of optimizing support functions at Stinson Leonard Street + An optimized Marketing department at Duane Morris + Optimizing the secretarial function at Blank Rome + Re-imagining client relations at Morrison & Foerster + Practice economics at Bryan Cave + Client-facing learning and development at Goodmans This report provides you with the tools and best practices needed to reap the benefits and face the challenges of optimizing the support functions in your firm.
Historically for many law firms, the primary focus has been on increasing the value of fee-earners: how to make them more productive, and how to help them generate more revenue for the firm. Coupled with the recent economic pressures, it forced decision makers to reduce costs as much as possible whilst still trying to provide the highest level of services to their clients. Those firms who saw this as an opportunity to shift business models, streamline systems and processes, and ensure their firm is efficient and effective are now reaping the rewards. Managing Partners crucial new report Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions looks at the how and why an effective optimization strategy it is critical to the ongoing successes of your firm.
It covers key topics including: + The business case for optimizing support functions + The challenges of optimization projects + Optimization through information, IT, marketing, library/Knowledge and secretarial functions + The role, involvement and importance of firm leadership + Strategic planning within support functions + Utilizing firm wide collaboration for innovation, communication and market position + Changing the game - New approaches to traditional business objectives Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions is packed with in-depth insight, and practical working guidance from over 30 law firms including the likes of Seyfarth Shaw, Addleshaw Goddard, Riverview Law, Fish Richardson, Lathrop & Gage, O'Melveny & Myers, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Brown Rudnick, Womble Carlyle, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, White & Case, and many more - Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions also features case studies including: + The value and profitability of optimizing support functions at Stinson Leonard Street + An optimized Marketing department at Duane Morris + Optimizing the secretarial function at Blank Rome + Re-imagining client relations at Morrison & Foerster + Practice economics at Bryan Cave + Client-facing learning and development at Goodmans This report provides you with the tools and best practices needed to reap the benefits and face the challenges of optimizing the support functions in your firm.
It covers key topics including: + The business case for optimizing support functions + The challenges of optimization projects + Optimization through information, IT, marketing, library/Knowledge and secretarial functions + The role, involvement and importance of firm leadership + Strategic planning within support functions + Utilizing firm wide collaboration for innovation, communication and market position + Changing the game - New approaches to traditional business objectives Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions is packed with in-depth insight, and practical working guidance from over 30 law firms including the likes of Seyfarth Shaw, Addleshaw Goddard, Riverview Law, Fish Richardson, Lathrop & Gage, O'Melveny & Myers, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Brown Rudnick, Womble Carlyle, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, White & Case, and many more - Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions also features case studies including: + The value and profitability of optimizing support functions at Stinson Leonard Street + An optimized Marketing department at Duane Morris + Optimizing the secretarial function at Blank Rome + Re-imagining client relations at Morrison & Foerster + Practice economics at Bryan Cave + Client-facing learning and development at Goodmans This report provides you with the tools and best practices needed to reap the benefits and face the challenges of optimizing the support functions in your firm.
Historically for many law firms, the primary focus has been on increasing the value of fee-earners: how to make them more productive, and how to help them generate more revenue for the firm. Coupled with the recent economic pressures, it forced decision makers to reduce costs as much as possible whilst still trying to provide the highest level of services to their clients. Those firms who saw this as an opportunity to shift business models, streamline systems and processes, and ensure their firm is efficient and effective are now reaping the rewards. Managing Partners crucial new report Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions looks at the how and why an effective optimization strategy it is critical to the ongoing successes of your firm.
It covers key topics including: + The business case for optimizing support functions + The challenges of optimization projects + Optimization through information, IT, marketing, library/Knowledge and secretarial functions + The role, involvement and importance of firm leadership + Strategic planning within support functions + Utilizing firm wide collaboration for innovation, communication and market position + Changing the game - New approaches to traditional business objectives Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions is packed with in-depth insight, and practical working guidance from over 30 law firms including the likes of Seyfarth Shaw, Addleshaw Goddard, Riverview Law, Fish Richardson, Lathrop & Gage, O'Melveny & Myers, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Brown Rudnick, Womble Carlyle, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, White & Case, and many more - Optimizing Law Firm Support Functions also features case studies including: + The value and profitability of optimizing support functions at Stinson Leonard Street + An optimized Marketing department at Duane Morris + Optimizing the secretarial function at Blank Rome + Re-imagining client relations at Morrison & Foerster + Practice economics at Bryan Cave + Client-facing learning and development at Goodmans This report provides you with the tools and best practices needed to reap the benefits and face the challenges of optimizing the support functions in your firm.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Globe Law and Business Ltd
ISBN-13
978-1-78358-109-2 (9781783581092)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
V. MARY Abraham is a knowledge management leader and law firm consultant. In 2013 she co-founded a digital startup, Broadli Inc., which created the Broadli generosity app. She has also built a practice facilitating strategic conversations and interactive educational sessions for a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Active in the legal industry for over 23 years, she practiced corporate law at a top-tier international firm and helped lead its knowledge management efforts. Mary has served on the advisory boards of the Practical Law Company and KMers.org (an online forum for knowledge management personnel worldwide), and was a member of the conference planning committee for the International Legal Technology Association from 2009 to 2012. In 2013 she joined the faculty of Columbia University's Master of Science in Information and Knowledge Strategy program. She is a frequent speaker and writer on knowledge management, technology, and social media issues. Mary contributes to the Law Technology Today column sponsored by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section and her blog, AboveandBeyondKM.com, continues to win commendations and readers.
V. MARY Abraham is a knowledge management leader and law firm consultant. In 2013 she co-founded a digital startup, Broadli Inc., which created the Broadli generosity app. She has also built a practice facilitating strategic conversations and interactive educational sessions for a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Active in the legal industry for over 23 years, she practiced corporate law at a top-tier international firm and helped lead its knowledge management efforts. Mary has served on the advisory boards of the Practical Law Company and KMers.org (an online forum for knowledge management personnel worldwide), and was a member of the conference planning committee for the International Legal Technology Association from 2009 to 2012. In 2013 she joined the faculty of Columbia University's Master of Science in Information and Knowledge Strategy program. She is a frequent speaker and writer on knowledge management, technology, and social media issues. Mary contributes to the Law Technology Today column sponsored by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section and her blog, AboveandBeyondKM.com, continues to win commendations and readers.
V. MARY Abraham is a knowledge management leader and law firm consultant. In 2013 she co-founded a digital startup, Broadli Inc., which created the Broadli generosity app. She has also built a practice facilitating strategic conversations and interactive educational sessions for a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Active in the legal industry for over 23 years, she practiced corporate law at a top-tier international firm and helped lead its knowledge management efforts. Mary has served on the advisory boards of the Practical Law Company and KMers.org (an online forum for knowledge management personnel worldwide), and was a member of the conference planning committee for the International Legal Technology Association from 2009 to 2012. In 2013 she joined the faculty of Columbia University's Master of Science in Information and Knowledge Strategy program. She is a frequent speaker and writer on knowledge management, technology, and social media issues. Mary contributes to the Law Technology Today column sponsored by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section and her blog, AboveandBeyondKM.com, continues to win commendations and readers.
Content
Contents III Executive summary... V About the author...VII Acknowledgements...IX Disclaimer...XI Introduction... 1 Methodology and scope... 1 Chapter 1: The challenge to optimize... 5 Why optimize?... 6 How to optimize... 7 What does optimization look like?... 9 Case study: Highest value to the firm... 10 Strategic versus operational focus... 11 Knowledge sharing and collaboration... 12 Healthy managers and staff... 14 Chapter 2: Specific optimization opportunities... 17 Optimizing the flow of information... 17 Optimizing the IT function... 21 Case study: Optimizing the marketing function... 26 Optimizing the library function... 28 Case study: Optimizing the secretarial function... 32 Chapter 3: Optimization requires strategy... 35 Start with Why... 36 Strategic planning within the firm... 37 Strategic planning within a support function... 38 Chapter 4: Leadership and optimization... 41 What good managers do... 41 Management philosophies and priorities... 43 Case study: Adapting management styles... 44 Contents IV Case study: Womble Leadership Training... 46 The difference a managing partner makes... 48 Obtaining buy-in... 49 Ego... 50 Chapter 5: Optimize through collaboration... 53 Silos... 53 Collaboration... 54 Case study: Collaborate to reposition the firm in the market... 55 Collaborate through a supporting role... 58 Case study: Collaborate to create an engine for innovation... 59 Collaboration in the C-suite... 63 Chapter 6: Optimize by changing the game... 65 What does changing the game mean?... 65 Change the game with new DNA... 66 Change the game with new leadership... 70 Change the game with a new support function... 72 Case study: Client relations at Morrison & Foerster LLP... 72 Case study: Practice economics at Bryan Cave LLP... 74 Change the game with better training... 75 Change the game by becoming client-facing... 79 Case study: Client-facing learning and development at Goodmans LLP... 80 Change the game with smarter technology... 81 Conclusion... 85