| | November 20228CIOReviewIN MY OPINIONBy Caroline Sweeney, Director, Knowledge Management and Innovation, Dorsey & WhitneyINNOVATING IN A LAW FIRM: EIGHT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION PROGRAMOver the course of the last few years, the pandemic has driven innovation in companies around the world and in all sorts of industries. The pandemic, as I wrote in a previous article, also spurred law firm and legal department technology innovation. But, even before the pandemic, the rise of the legal operations manager role in organizations was creating momentum for law firm innovation as legal operations personnel sought to manage legal spend and realize savings. To maintain a competitive edge, we saw law firms investing in and adopting a variety of innovation tools and approaches. As we have seen the legal operations role become more commonplace in corporations, we are seeing the adoption of the Law Firm Innovation role.One could argue that law firms have been innovating for some time. Indeed, back in the 1980's law firms were using data bases to help manage large-scale litigation. Around that same time, law firms were exploring use of innovative tools such as document automation to assist with routine document drafting and generation. With the advent of e-discovery in the 2000's we eventually saw law firms adopt predictive analytic tools and new business models to handle the large volumes of e-discovery. Indeed, in addition to "predictive coding" we saw the adoption of a new role ­ the contract attorney - to conduct document review, driving down the costs of e-discovery review, from where it was frequently stated 50-70 percent of litigation costs derived. More recently, we have seen the use of "AI", or artificial intelligence, to more efficiently conduct contract review and drafting. Document automation is evolving into process automation. Data analytic tools are helping to drive not just litigation strategy but strategic initiatives (diversity and inclusion, for example) and business decisions, as firms seek to understand where the opportunities for business development are most ripe. In addition to Directors of Innovation ­ or Chief Innovation Officers ­ we are seeing law firms hire data analysts to support innovation efforts. These are exciting ­ and innovative - times!What makes a law firm innovation effort successful? I recommend considering the following:Caroline Sweeney
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