26 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – OCTOBER 2023 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM ROUNDTABLE In recent years, more and more law firms have brought on board chief innovation officers to shake things up, with the aim of getting vital competitive advantage in an industry often described as stagnant. Holders of this relatively new title share their vision and action plans on how to bring about effective disruptions to take their organisations forward. BY SARAH WONG Leading innovation in the legal industry is both rewarding and challenging. I relish the opportunity to collaborate with diverse and talented colleagues, challenge conventional wisdom and create a positive impact on our clients and our firm. Alma Asay, chief innovation and value officer, Crowell & Moring: When I started at Crowell in 2021, I was responsible for standing up the new practice innovation department. We now have an innovation team of five. I also oversee research services. I’m responsible for liaising with our internal stakeholders, including both attorneys and other legal professionals, and our clients to learn where opportunities exist to enhance our delivery of legal services and otherwise add value, then prioritising and implementing solutions. It’s a diverse role that requires me to understand competing perspectives, ALB: Can you tell us more about your role and major responsibilities? Ben Allgrove, global chief innovation officer and partner, Baker McKenzie: In addition to being a practicing technology lawyer, I am Baker McKenzie’s global chief innovation officer. In that role, I have three main responsibilities. First, I advise our leadership on change in the legal service market and what it means for our clients and our strategy. Second, I am the executive sponsor for our internal innovation programme, Reinvent, which includes our BakerML team tasked with building our internal capacity to use AI technologies as they come to market. And third, I am tasked with being one of the voices having conversations with our clients, the market more generally and our people about the change that is happening (and yet to come). Jonathan Voo, Asia innovation lead, Mayer Brown: As the Asia lead for innovation, I have a unique opportunity to shape the future of legal services in this dynamic region. Working with a global team of legal and non-legal professionals, I help our clients find innovative solutions to their complex and evolving challenges. I also spearhead pilot projects to introduce new processes and offerings that improve our internal efficiency and quality. But innovation is not just about technology or tools. It is also about culture and mindset. Law firms face unprecedented disruption and competition, and we need to be agile and adaptable to succeed. That’s why I am passionate about fostering a culture of innovation across our organisation, empowering our lawyers with the skills and confidence to embrace change and deliver value. Image: chaiyapruek youprasert/Shutterstock.com IN WITH
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