28 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – OCTOBER 2023 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM ROUNDTABLE always easy to implement transformation projects. We have found that having an identified CInnO helps us have the right conversations internally; ensuring that there is someone within our leadership with the mandate and profile to challenge our strategy and pace of change. Since taking up the role, my mantra is to make our leadership perpetually uncomfortable, and my lot is to be perpetually frustrated. Voo: The role is a vital function for law firms in the current market, where they face rapid change and diverse challenges in the Asian region. To succeed in this context, law firms need to balance respect for tradition and legacy with a willingness to embrace new ways of delivering value to clients, engaging, and developing their people, and optimising their operations. A dedicated innovation leader can help firms achieve this balance by fostering a culture of curiosity and experimentation, promoting agile and collaborative working practices, and aligning innovation initiatives with the firm’s strategic vision and goals. Being able to connect and relate to key decisionmakers, as well as our future leaders at Mayer Brown, is important for this journey. Asay: At some level, all attorneys are impacted by external forces that change the way we practice. There is a tired refrain that attorneys “don’t want to” change, but I’ve found that they’re too busy to both understand the shifts occurring and undertake the effort that’s been required of them to change. Part of this comes from a disconnect between “IT” and attorneys who speak fundamentally different languages. The role of a chief innovation officer bridges that gap by speaking both languages, acknowledging the legacies, and negotiating solutions that meet the requirements on all sides to stay in step with modern ways of practice. Critically, the hierarchy is essential to overcoming legacies. By holding a leadership role and interfacing directly with firm leadership, we have the opportunity to inspire and implement change from the top down in ways that wouldn’t be possible through traditional innovation approaches. Sandler: Clients today are seeking more than just legal expertise; they want efficiency, transparency, costeffectiveness, and innovative legal solutions. Enshrined hierarchies and legacies are not immune to the reality that in-house legal clients are increasingly being asked to “do more with less”, which then translates into their raised expectations of what must be delivered by elite law firms. Technologies and “ways of working” have also advanced over the years to allow for improved legal productivity and service delivery. In order to meet these expectations, chief innovation officers must necessarily integrate innovative, operational and technological expertise with their firm’s legal capability, to tackle clients’ sophisticated, high-value business challenges. This opportunity requires the chief innovation officer to become a catalyst for change. This will be fundamental to the ongoing success of any law firm in a highly competitive market. ALB: What are the most important qualities that a chief innovation officer needs to possess and what advantage does a law firm with such a role have compared to its peers? Allgrove: Resilience, energy and optimism are three qualities that have certainly held me in good stead. But I also think that a good CInnO needs to be a business realist. I do not subscribe to the “platform is burning” approach to effecting change in organisations. The reality is that law firms have been doing, and continue to do, very well commercially. That fact argues against blowing up business as usual too soon. But that does not mean that the model is not under pressure, and there is certainly a client demand for a different way. Law firms that can hold both those ideas in their heads at the same time are the ones that are going to prosper. In our experience, having a CInnO helps with that. Voo: As a leader of innovation, a vital quality is to stay ahead of the curve and be a visionary leader who combines strategic thinking and technological expertise to collaborate with key stakeholders at our firm, power of influence and be able to adapt in a changing legal landscape. Having this role at Mayer Brown has enhanced efficiency, improved client service, and gained a competitive advantage. Through automation, process improvements, and leveraging technology, we have been able to streamline operations, deliver accurate legal services, and differentiate ourselves in the market. We are one of the few law firms in Asia (particularly in Hong Kong) that has embraced innovation by appointing an Innovation Leader. We have dedicated resources to adapt to the evolving legal landscape, respond to industry disruption, and meet client needs effectively. Mayer Brown’s focus on innovation allows it to leverage technology, data analytics, and automation, resulting in optimised time, cost savings, and enhanced client satisfaction. We strive to attract and retain top talent and continue to grow and explore our firm’s expertise. Asay: The most important quality is a sense of empathy. Innovation is, at its core, about humans, far more so than technology. The best innovation professionals can empathise with stakeholders holding divergent perspectives and find a path toward collective success. A law firm with a chief innovation officer has the advantage of realising the benefits of true change. Any firm can purchase a technology and put out a press release touting the shiny new thing. A firm with an innovation leader among its senior ranks is more likely to see the kind of adoption and real-world successes that create an actual, measurable impact on the business and clients’ perception of the firm. Sandler: Unsurprisingly, it is essential for chief innovation officers to have a deep interest and innate understanding of how innovation and technology can deliver benefits to an organisation. In driving change and always asking how we can do better, Chief Innovation Officers assume a true leadership position, which requires ambition, grit, comfort with the ever-increasing rate of change, and a passion for learning and supporting others.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA0NzE4Mw==