The Agile Law Firm

Author: Chris Bull
Publisher: Globe Law and Business
ISBN: 9781787424548
Published In: May 2021
Format: Paperback , 207 pages
Jurisdiction: International ? Disclaimer:
Countri(es) stated herein are used as reference only

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Description
Contents
Reviews

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Following a relatively slow start to embrace the direct application of concepts that have revolutionised the tech and manufacturing sectors, law firms are increasingly placing ‘Agile’ – described as “the best kept management secret on the planet” – on their business development agenda. In response to Covid-19, many firms have proven their capacity for agile decision making and have accelerated their development of a more agile working model. But this requires more than digitisation and remote working.

This Special Report is the essential guide for every law firm leader who wants to move beyond the reactive to the strategic adoption of proven agile principles. Being able to adapt smartly to client needs, competitor threats and employee expectations are at the core of this report, which is built around a self-assessment tool and practical framework for implementing Agile.

This Special Report covers:

What is Agile and how has it been used across industries? Explores the most important uses of agile thinking and models, from those that have transformed the worlds of technology, consumer products and complex projects, to the hybrid agile working model that many law firms seek to adopt post-Covid-19;
Why Agile? Looks at where adopting agile principles in your firm will make a difference and how these ideas connect with client value, digital transformation, innovation and collaboration;
Where can we utilise Agile in law firms? Examines the different parts of a law firm and explains which agile models and tools can be used where, using legal sector case studies;
How Agile are you? Outlines a practical diagnostic for assessing your level of agility in each area of the firm; and
What next? Covers planning and implementing an agile programme, from mindset and language change to organisational design and client engagement.

The report also provides examples of Agile programme outlines for law firms large and small which can be adapted depending on individual needs. In short, this report includes everything law firm leaders need to get started on their own agile journey.

Introduction

I. Agile Methodology

1. Where it started – Agile, Scrum and the software development revolution

2. Applying Agile to project management and operations

3. Agile as a service and product development

4. Agile, Design Thinking and Lean: differences and overlaps?

5. Agile Methodology in law firms: case studies

II. Agile Working

1. Anytime, anyplace, anywhere

2. The mobile dimension

3. The Agile Workplace and Activity Based Working

4. Flexible and Agile Working: differences and overlaps?

5. An Agile Real Estate Strategy

6. Agile Working in law firms: case studies

III. The Agile Workforce

1. The Gig Economy and rise of the freelancer

2. Variable and Flexible Resourcing in Legal

3. Agile Performance Management and the end of performance reviews

4. The shift to on-demand and bite-size learning & development

5. Agile Business Services – Shared Service Centres and Outsourced Models

6. The new legal secretarial paradigm

7. Agile Workforce in law firms: case studies

IV. The Agile Organisation

1. The organic versus the machine organisation

2. What is an agile strategy?

3. Dynamic decision making and time to market in the legal world

4. The power of empowered teams

5. The new constellation of Funding & Governance models

6. Genuine client-centricity in law firms: case studies

V. The Role of Technology and Innovation

1. Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud

2. Client Experience innovation & agility

3. Data-driven decision making and the Information to Impact model

4. Paperlite or Paperless?

5. Agile workflow & the continuous improvement mindset

6. Agile law firms as tech businesses

7. Digital transformation in law firms: case studies

VI. The ‘fast forward’: the new post-Covid law firm model

1. The remote working revolution

2. The new legal workplace

3. Collaboration, connectivity and the Zoom effect

4. Introducing the new clients

5. Caveats, obstacles and resistance: a reality-check

Conclusion

Appendix 1: How Agile Are You? – self-audit tool

Appendix 2: Information to Impact model

Appendix 3: Agile Business Management Model

Our world has radically changed, and law firms inevitably will change along with it. The law firm of the near future will be client-centric, flexible, intrapreneurial, and continuously improving -- in a word, it will be Agile. In this landmark book, Chris Bull has not only assembled a comprehensive step-by-step guide to building an Agile law firm, but has issued a clarion call for lawyers to apply the principles and aspirations of Agility to the mission of law firms and the vision of the legal profession. Managing partners looking for a blueprint to the post-pandemic law firm need look no further.

- Jordan Furlong, Principal, Law21; Author, Law Is A Buyer's Market: Building a Client-First Law Firm

Borrowing from the contemporary lean and agile principles used to optimise development and production processes, Chris Bull’s The Agile Law Firm succeeds in providing a practical manual for law firm leaders. This easy-to-read book argues why and how traditional law firms of all sizes need to embrace deep changes to enable them to continue to serve clients and prosper. The legal services ecosystem is evolving rapidly; to stand still is to go backwards and eventually lose touch with what clients and staff alike want from an effective law firm.

- Dr George Beaton, Author of NewLaw New Rules and senior co-author of Remaking Law Firms

Chris has a huge amount of valuable experience in every aspect of running a law firm - it is great to see him focus on a strategically important area like this. An essential read for everyone involved in law firm leadership in these changing times.

- Derek Southall, Founder and CEO, Hyperscale Group Limited

Engagingly written, fast-paced and comprehensive, Chris Bull's new book The Agile Law Firm provides an essential blueprint for any law firm wanting to succeed in the second decade of the 21st century. Agility is the key and Chris clearly explains its significant concepts and methodologies, providing the reader with a practical toolkit to bring about positive change, no matter the size and nature of their organisation.

- Christina Blacklaws, Former president of The Law Society of England and Wales and strategic consultant