Yasmin Lambert’s Post

Tick-tock, here comes CLOC (Corporate Legal Operations Consortium) I look forward to the privilege of attending #CGI2024 every year. This movement focuses on efficiency and embraces innovation and also creates jobs. 🙋♂️ People come to CLOC to learn about operational excellence/process efficiency and change management. Connecting with people is much needed in the legal field because law has long been an exclusively intellectual domain to the detriment of the mental health of lawyers. 🎈Legal Operations Professionals (LOPs) are now in demand at companies that want to do things better. LOPs use the processes and tools that make it easier for people to get stuff done. The tools are technologies that include AI. The processes are tried and true organizational methodologies. The stuff that gets done is the legal work and the administrative work and the managerial work. LOPs who attend CLOC help people focus on their subject matter expertise which helps them stay in their lane more easily and get further faster, increasing their sense of accomplishment. They bring that job satisfaction into the rest of their life and that ripples outward. 💧Prior to this, the water in the pond was pretty still. To use poetic license and exaggerate, law departments analogously may have been somewhat like law firms that lost their identity in exchange for a single customer and a predictable pay check. Lawyers still worked hard, but got less recognition, less pay, and were walled off from the rest of the employees. They may even have scornfully been labeled as “The Department of Slow or No”. 💨Legal operations is a ripple in still water - the pebble that is tossed, the wind that blows. I’m honored to have a small part in it and greatly appreciate the way the tools and ideas we’ve brought forward at LexisNexis have contributed. And I am really looking forward to catching up with friends, peers, colleagues, customers and future customers.

Colin Levy's insights into legal tech made me think of this (credit where credit is due, and I apologize in advance if this reframing misses his point). As anyone who's tried to deal with an airline or bank will attest, most big companies attribute no value to the individual consumer. They use a cartel approach: Delta (for example) can treat its customers poorly because every other airline does. You're not going to be treated any better by a different carrier. But the "screw everyone" approach only works if all providers are on board, which explains the legal industry's heavy-handed regulation of technological adaptation. The law's gilded, controlling class (i.e., regulators and the big firms and influential plaintiff's attorneys holding their leashes) doesn't want anyone offering competitive, client-centric services. UPL statutes, antiquated ethical rules, and aggressive enforcement actions brought almost exclusively against solos and small firm lawyers keep them in line so the 10% of Americans who can afford lawyers have no real options. There are over 800,000 solos and small firm lawyers with every incentive to use technology to develop client-focused services and effectively compete with anyone. Systems that demonstrably value the individual customer would be a welcome replacement for the current options. This benefits both providers and clients and only hurts entrenched interests by forcing them to compete in a more open market. Technology, as Colin has noted a number of times, is not a panacea. But it is an equalizer, and the more services that come on line challenging the status quo, the better for (most) lawyers and clients. And maybe all that 'public protection' rhetoric regulators spew while 90% of Americans are priced out of the market will actually mean something.

Great post and find Daniel Scaggs! 🌟DEI isn't just a trending topic—it's a strategic imperative that drives organizational success. At JusticeBid, we're pioneering the integration of DEI in outside counsel sourcing, selection, and management with advanced analytics that not only track but also enhance the transparency and impact of your decisions. 🔍 The Challenge of DEI Tracking Traditional DEI initiatives often stumble over infrequent data collection and a lack of detailed insights. JusticeBid addresses these challenges head-on. Our platform revolutionizes how companies collect and utilize DEI data by offering: Automated Data Collection: Reduces the manual workload and ensures data is updated quarterly. Detailed Demographic Insights: Provides granular visibility into the diversity of legal teams, helping firms make informed decisions and set actionable goals. 📈 Why This Matters For business leaders, investing in a diverse legal team isn't just an ethical decision—it's a competitive advantage. Diverse perspectives enhance problem-solving, foster creativity, and lead to better outcomes. Our platform not only supports your DEI goals but also aligns with your strategic business objectives by: Mitigating Risks: A diverse legal team can offer more comprehensive advice, avoiding pitfalls associated with groupthink. Enhancing Client Relationships: Reflect the diversity of your client base, meeting their expectations and building stronger connections. 🤝 Leverage strategic data insights to foster a more inclusive and equitable legal landscape. Turn data into action and make a lasting impact on your organization. 👉 DM me, Daniel Scaggs or Omar Sweiss to schedule an overview and how we can reduce your outside costs, and free up your budget so you can improve your #FutureStateInitiatives #JusticeBid #DiversityInLaw #LegalTech #DEI #InnovationInLaw #BusinessLeadership

There is NO REASON to overpay for great business, litigation or IP counsel. 🚫 None!!!! Too many law firms have high rates 💵 that exist only to support expensive (and often unnecessary) offices and infrastructure costs 🏢 - not quality lawyers and legal representation. And then, there are the smaller firms, many of which have some really good lawyers but lack the infrastructure and support to handle large and complex cases and deals. That doesn’t work 👎🏼 either. 💡 Fortunately…. My partners and I at Hilgers Graben PLLC have the solution that is cost-effective AND includes some of the best lawyers in the country at very affordable prices (often 1/2 or 1/3rd of our competitors’)! 👀 Check it out for yourself! If you’re frustrated with rising legal costs for your business, this post and article is a quick #mustread !!! #lawyers #business

A recent survey by the Association of Corporate Counsel reflects the ever-tightening squeeze put on in-house counsel.   Three key trends are highlighted in that survey: 52% of legal departments have directives to cut costs, nearly 60% of legal departments received major increases in billable rates from law firms (like they do every year), and nearly 60% of departments reported an increased workload.   The bottom line—legal departments are asked to do more, with less, and most of their outside counsel are charging them significantly for more for no reason other than their broken business model. And as the survey also points out, while operational efficiencies and AI may help, they are not panaceas.   The industry needs other options to give legal departments relief!   They can find them at Hilgers Graben. Our model, which leans on durable business principles applied in industries around the country, provides top talent and scaled teams without the same rate structure (or big yearly rate increases) as Big Law.    To learn more about our model, contact info@hilgersgraben.com.

I'm attending SXSW Sydney which has a massive focus on #Technology and #Innovation across everything from #AI to #XR and the #Metaverse. In terms of the space I work in #ALSPs and #LegalInnovation for KorumLegal, attending the session on "Blowing the whistle on Big Tech and Accountability in the Age of AI" has been a real standout. I couldn't decide whether I was horrified by what I was hearing or at least re-assured that we have people like Frances Haugen, Julie Inman - Grant and #NicSuzor watching over what is happening in the space. #LegalTech & #RegTech have a massive role to play here, in terms of how it will be used, the data it may amass and the potential good it could possibly do in the future.

As law firms seek to expand their digital footprints and increase exposure to potential clients, an easy starting point to position your firm as an expert is to leverage the influence of your legal rankings. In my article for Forbes Business Council, I share a few traits to be mindful of when selecting effective legal rankings partners: transparent and verifiable processes, tailored digital results and skilled human intervention. Over the course of decades, Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms have won the trust and support of a nationwide network of legal industry leaders and are well positioned to be the source of truth for AI data sources because of the thoughtful and thorough ways we collate the data provided by the legal community about their own industry. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ekS8kDMS #LegalRankings #LawFirmStrategy #BestLawyers

This from today's Legal Futures. So many questions; Why is Matthew Hill having a pop at other regulators just as he leaves the Legal Services Board? Why has he allowed such a terrible photo of him to be the only one seen in articles like the one below? Why do lawyers need so many regulators? Why does it cost so much? Why do they all seek more arcane and convoluted subjects to spend money on to justify their existence and champion mission creep? Oops, I answered that one myself. Why are barristers' chambers not regulated? Why aren't the staff in barristers' chambers regulated? Why is legal AI, after all the talking and glacial inaction, still dangerously unregulated?

Shoutout to Forbes for writing this great piece. Make diversity in outside counsel a priority for your team. This is strategically imperative, not just a box to check. #legalops #Legalopertations #cgi2024 #inhousecounsel #associationofcorporatecounsel #legaltechnology

💡 General counsels (GCs) are increasingly prioritizing risk management, leading to a growing demand for legal operations professionals over additional lawyers, according to a report by FTI Consulting and Relativity. The 2024 General Counsel Report highlights that in-house legal leaders are contending with a more aggressive regulatory environment and the challenges posed by generative AI and advanced technology. These factors necessitate a shift in legal department priorities, emphasizing the need for expertise in data and technology alongside legal skills. Approximately 40% of surveyed legal leaders have a legal operations professional on their team, with many recognizing the value of this role in freeing up GCs to focus on strategic issues. The regulatory landscape is further complicated by renewed enforcement of older U.S. laws like the Clayton Act and Robinson-Patman Act, and by state and federal efforts to regulate AI, impacting both U.S. and international companies. 📖 Read more: https://ow.ly/Le1J50SbuEx