Guest post by Kevin O’Sullivan, director of legal project management at Baker McKenzie
O’Sullivan: Client-facing role
Cast your mind back to the legal landscape of 2009. An industry adapting to the financial crisis by majoring on costs and service; newly empowered clients reveling in the upswing of a buyer’s market; desk-tethered lawyers on the cusp of a smart revolution; new levels of price competition and non-hourly billing; tech start-ups disrupting, succeeding, blowing up; a world where A and I were just vowels…
Out of that storm, a pioneering movement was born: legal project management (LPM). At their best:
- commercially minded, problem solvers – your ‘go to’ types for process improvement, matter management and fit-for-purpose implementation of tech;
- trusted advisors with intoxicating client appeal; and
- winners of hearts and minds for their cause – the fusion of legal practice and project management discipline.
Baker McKenzie was the earliest of adopters back in 2009; our evolving 70-strong team now stands at the forefront of the industry. The scale of investment is a powerful statement of faith at a firm with innovation at its core and a willingness to buy into transformative ambition.
We can talk about the journey of tangible successes and repeated client demand: change is a powerful master. We are energised by the victories that opened doors, the daily small steps, the challenges and mis-steps that burned but made us stronger.
Scope, track, data-drill, connect, elevate, persuade, integrate, sleep, repeat. But what have we learned? Here are five cornerstones which stand Baker McKenzie in good stead for the next 15 years.
Nurture the client connection
Just as LPM was establishing itself, legal innovation became the hot topic: drive to stand out, be innovative to the point of disruptive.
Clients were and remain the main driver behind Baker McKenzie’s investment in LPM. We knew that clients were not only interested in solving legal issues, but in how legal services were delivered.
Our initial focus was on boosting productivity and transparency on projects, and we naturally established a frontline, client-facing role. This is not a given deployment of LPM in many firms, but it is fundamental to the disruption of legacy approaches and sustainable change.
A change culture provides fertile ground
In an industry known for being slow to adapt, our openness to change has been crucial. Internally, we defined success on lawyer buy-in; these change management strengths rather than project management experience have underpinned our progress.
Successful projects supported by LPM gradually gained attention of key partners, and our force multiplier effect echoed across the firm.
However, generic process expertise, as project managers, only afforded us a certain level of impact. We strategically placed LPMs in receptive practice groups and offices. In doing so we grew up with the lawyers, building practice expertise on top of our process competencies.
Be a client differentiator
Clients view LPM at Baker McKenzie as a clear differentiator. LPMs help track every aspect of the deal from inside the tent.
Measured client benefit is the ultimate test of any innovative decision, and projects supported by our LPM team are proven to show increased efficiency and client satisfaction. Sometimes the source of inspiration and innovative solutions comes from listening to clients who might not know exactly what they want (think Henry Ford’s famous quote about faster horses).
Build a creative and trusted brand
The LPM team is a creative, adaptable function within our firm, a view forged on small and big wins over time. Outside of standardised tasks, we are often brought into projects loaded with uncertainties and we embrace these challenges to deliver effective, pragmatic solutions.
LPMs find satisfaction in solving and improving. We encapsulate innovation but, in doing so, we realise new and different does not always mean better. As fit-for-purpose tech evangelists, we test, deploy and leverage existing legal technology to automate tasks or simplify processes, recognizing tech is a key enabler.
People make the magic happen
The true test for any innovative solution is its value. While AI is powerful, our most valuable asset is our people. The LPM role is dynamic and fluid, requiring a special blend of knowledge and flexibility. Our LPMs have a diverse range of backgrounds – professional project management training layered over legal, accountant and IT expertise.
Our secret ingredient, however, is innovative team spirit, desire to problem solve, and comfort in challenging legacy. We take pride in being critical thinkers with laser focus on matter management and client experience, while our lawyers focus on the law.
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