organise: virtual roundtable WITH NETDOCUMENTS

In this instalment of Briefing and NetDocuments’ Work Inspired series, we explore how law firms and their clients adopt systems and approaches to transform how they Organise key aspects of work.

Briefing editor-in-chief Richard Brent and VP of international business at NetDocuments Guy Phillips are joined by guests to discuss how technology is helping firms’ increasingly dispersed employees to collaborate with one another in new ways, in the interests of individual productivity and firm-wide efficiency – as well as the opportunities for automation to relieve repeated or redundant workload when all areas of the business are adapting to new challenges.

Simon Ferres, CIO for legal at Deutsche Bank, sets out the legal team’s method of collecting information about the key processes people already follow, before deciding which reveal strong potential for further automation in future – and only then assesses and prioritises the projects to pursue by likely impact. He also highlights the ways that law firms have best supported his business goals with their own automation expertise.

And John Turner, chief operating officer at Ellisons Solicitors, explains how the introduction of a new document management system has played a critical role in the firm’s response to the pandemic. Essential homeworking created a catalyst for accelerated digitisation of files, enabling paper-light processes, reorganisation and communication change, and of course great appreciation of the advantages of efficient access and new levels of agility.

Lynne Jones, head of library and information services at HFW, also joins the group to discuss where automation projects have produced the most tangible advantages in each of their businesses to date, the challenges when introducing and embedding them, and several other processes – human-focused no less than IT – that have needed to change.

Webinar time: 55 minutes. Take a look at the YouTube page for specific timestamps, so you can find content more easily.

PLAN: virtual roundtable WITH NETDOCUMENTS

The next in our series of webcasts with our friends at NetDocuments, under the banner of Work Inspired is PLAN. Briefing’s deputy editor Kayli Olson and Mike Creffield, business manager – EMEA at NetDocuments, were joined by leaders in top-tier UK law firms to discuss how firms are delivering wide strategic value. Specifically, we looked at how firms can harness the power of collaboration, innovation and technology to better coordinate teams and improve service delivery.

The biggest takeaway – how can you make your services as easy to use as possible for your clients? When looking at client portals, those in attendance agreed that they need to be more than just a client onboarding tool. It’s easier for a client just to email you the information rather than log onto a portal to do that. To truly leverage the benefits of a client portal it must also update the client about their matter(s) in real time, making it easier to track the progress of their work instead of rely on fee earners to send an update.

Not only did we discuss about the client experience and collaboration thereof, but the importance of having robust but flexible communications internally. Innovation is still thriving despite impact from the pandemic – watch now to hear more about how law firms, and those in the wider professional services space, are maintaining momentum.

Big thank you to those who joined us for this discussion: Ahmad Yamak, senior legal project manager, White & Case; Alicia Hardy, director of professional support, White & Case; Jane Challoner, head of tech innovation, CMS; Jeff Westcott, director of service management and strategy, Akin Gump; Kylie Grant, director, Time Peace Advisors; Laura Hofmann, chief legal tech officer, Clarius Legal; Richard Tomlinson, consultant (ex-BCLP), Kaaspi; Sophie Wakenell, global head of operational projects and change, Clyde & Co; Simon Ferres, CIO for legal, Deutsche Bank AG; Warrick McLean, chief executive officer, Coleman Greig.

Watch now! And keep an eye out for the next in the Work Inspired series.

Webinar time: 1 hour. Take a look at the YouTube page for specific timestamps, so you can find content more easily.

protect: virtual roundtable WITH NETDOCUMENTS

Work Inspired is a brand new series of virtual events, exploring the different ways that technology solutions can support law firms surrounding some of their top remote-working challenges, enabling new levels of efficiency and productivity at the same time as ensuring robust risk management.

In this first installment – with the theme of ‘Protect’ – Briefing editor-in-chief Richard Brent and Guy Phillips, VP of international business – EMEA and APAC – at NetDocuments, are joined by a group of information security experts from leading UK and international law firms, including Akin Gump, Carpmaels & Ransford, Osborne Clarke, Irwin Mitchell, and Cuatrecasas, to discuss subjects including the surge in client demands for more information about firms’ security processes and capabilities; the ways that widespread remote working changes a firm’s spectrum of security needs and challenges; and the significance of a cloud solution and option of introducing a need-to-know security regime for balancing the priorities of tight document control and supporting individual and team productivity.

If firms now consider expanding the opportunity for agile-working in the longer-term, it will be critical that their people can access their work, and collaborate, where and when they need to – but only with the very best protection against the very real risk of cyberattack and data loss.

Webinar time: 50 minutes. Take a look at the YouTube page for specific timestamps, so you can find content more easily.