r&d in law firms (or not): stories of...
TRANSCRIPT
R&D In Law Firms (Or Not): Stories of Innovation
#ORG1
Moderated by Judi Flournoy
Panelists
Rob Saccone
Bill Caraher
Gerard Neiditsch
Monroe Horn
Rob Saccone Co-founder Nexlaw Partners
Panelists
Rob Saccone
Bill Caraher
Gerard Neiditsch
Monroe Horn
Bill Caraher Chief Information Officer & Director of Operations von Briesen & Roper, s.c. 120 attorneys 250 users 3 offices
Panelists
Rob Saccone
Bill Caraher
Gerard Neiditsch
Monroe Horn
Gerard Neiditsch Chief Information Officer Allens 1550 lawyers and staff Top tier Austral-Asian firm in Alliance with Linklaters
Panelists
Rob Saccone
Bill Caraher
Gerard Neiditsch
Monroe Horn
Monroe Horn Chief Technology Officer Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers 35 attorneys 87 users 1 office
R&D In Law Firms (Or Not): Stories of Innovation
#ORG1
Moderated by Judi Flournoy
Why law firms don’t innovate
Presenter:
Rob Saccone Founder, Nexlaw Partners LLC
182 net operating income
$
M
482 gross revenue
$
M
1.2 profits per equity partner
$
M
Average
AmLaw 200 law firm
458 $
M legal startup investments
Who is funding innovation Innovation requires capital…or does it?
Innovation requires new thinking. Build, measure, learn and repeat.
BUILD
MEASURE
LEARN
Product
Ideas
Data
minimize total time
through the loop
Innovation is a constant process. Always learning, adjusting and building trust and credibility
first, get out of the building
focused experiments
observe and measure
learn!
Presenter:
Bill Caraher CIO & Director of Operations von Briesen & Roper
Big innovation can come in small packages
• Innovation is not just million dollar ideas with a huge
budget impact and 12+ month time horizon.
• Innovation can be little ideas, that have a big impact
on the firm.
• Innovative ideas originate from all corners of the
firm; from the Managing Partner’s office to the help-
desk intern’s cubicle.
“Over 90% of Attorneys Do Not Participate in Law Firm Training
Opportunities”
2012 Am Law 200
Training Survey Report
CLIENTS ARE DEMANDING RATE CUTS & FIRING FIRMS FOR FAILING BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS TESTS
inGenious Bar Summary
• Open every Friday morning for 90 minutes (scarcity draws demand)
• Walk in - no registration required – open to all firm employees
• 1 on 1 Format: Learn one skill in (5) minutes from an IT team member
• Short Format: Very conducive to attorney & staff demanding schedules
• Treats / Coffee / Get to know your IT Team / Collaboration
• Attendance points are given; points are redeemed for firm logo merchandise
• IT Team “branded” in red shirts to promote teamwork & “von Briesen inGenious” concept
• We continue to offer traditional hands-on 1 hour sessions as well.
The goals of von Briesen’s innovation efforts are to improve the end user experience and help to revolutionize the way technology is implemented and utilized within our firm. We look forward to additional innovation, even if it comes in small packages or doesn’t cost a lot of money. The smallest and cheapest innovative ideas can have a huge impact on the firm. Share your success stories with ILTA!
Innovation when under attack?
Presenter:
Gerard Neiditsch CIO, Allens - 1,550 lawyers and staff - top tier Austral-Asian law firm - in Alliance with Linklaters
• Importance to focus on a single, strategically important initiative:
Pick carefully
• Foster the right culture under time pressure – what’s in it for me?
• Innovation needs to be ‘original’ in the way it’s conceived or
implemented, ie difficult to copy & easily recognized by clients
• Requires stamina
What happens when we are being disrupted?
under threat of disruption: innovation = survival
Practical Innovation At Any Size
Presenter:
Monroe Horn CTO, Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers
Disruptive Innovation
Often aspired to but
difficult to achieve.
Image courtesy of Keerati - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Sunstein’s Docketing Workflow System
Sunstein’s Docketing Workflow System
• Automated workflow to manage IP docketing—the
core of our prosecution practice
• Has processed over 180,000 items to date
• Automates a core legal process
• Used by file clerks, paralegals and attorneys all day
every day to improve client service
Better Mousetraps
Solving a problem unique
to your firm or something
common to all firms in a
way that’s best for yours.
Things that impact users
every day and are very
noticeable to them.
Can result in real
competitive advantage and
significant ROI.
NBI Automation
NBI Automation
• So easy to use that attorneys are opening their own
new client and matters
• Massive increases in speed of opening
• 4 min = Median time to availability for time and
documents
• 66 min = Median time to being open in all systems
• Increased accuracy of information and compliance
with firm policies
Super Profiler
Super Profiler
• Total cost of apx. $26,000
• 1,8000% ROI to date
• Paid for itself in about 5 months, nothing but savings
since
• Has saved the firm over 10,000 hours so far
• $130,000 return this year and around $463,000 since
first deployed
Innovation and R&D
Can’t innovate unless you
can learn and experiment.
R&D does not need to be
formal.
Does need investment from
the firm, but not
necessarily a lot of cash.
Image courtesy of watcharakun - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Innovation and R&D
Can’t innovate unless you
can learn and experiment.
R&D does not need to be
formal.
Does need investment from
the firm, but not
necessarily a lot of cash.
Innovation and R&D
Can’t innovate unless you
can learn and experiment.
R&D does not need to be
formal.
Does need investment from
the firm, but not
necessarily a lot of cash.
Innovation and R&D
Can’t innovate unless you
can learn and experiment.
R&D does not need to be
formal.
Does need investment from
the firm, but not
necessarily a lot of cash.
Better to invest in people.
Securing Commitment
Understand the business
and what people do day-to-
day.
Deeply understand the
firm’s technology.
Deliver in ALL areas of IT.
Build a track record.
Mix open and stealth
projects.
Image courtesy of suphakit73 - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Our Process
Idea Research POC
End
Demo Build