As in-house counsel handle matter after matter of a similar kind, they gain experience and they can do more, better, and in less time. The knowledge they accumulate can be thought of as a by-product — a spillover from the repeated production of advice and counsel. The legal department does…
A survey done in February 2006 by Mahlab Recruitment and Harris Cost Lawyers produced data from members of the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association (ACLA). Some of the comments made by the respondents had to do with integrating the legal department into business decisions and activities (at 12). The one that…
A previous post defines the term “process” (See my post of April 27, 2006 that collects my efforts to that date.). A clear awareness of what process and alertness to them raises operational effectiveness in law departments. Four reasons come to mind. Where it identifies a process, a law department…
Many law departments run training programs for their clients (See my post of July 14, 2005 regarding methods of training.) and others sponsor online legal and compliance training programs (See my post of June 13, 2006 on such software programs.). Still others circulate guidelines and primers to their clients to…
Everyone bemoans that which they can’t live without: e-mail (See my posts of July 14, 2005 about inefficiencies from e-mail interruptions and June 5, 2006 about the stress they cause.). Can a law department legislate relief? Ponder this fiat: “One law department has a rule that lawyers will not log…
No, I haven’t flipped out. Inspired by some programming aids, self-styled life hackers have thought about how knowledge workers can increase their productivity (See my post of April 3, 2006 with its analysis of the term “productivity.”). The Economist, June 10, 2006 at 14, mentions two sites, 43 Folders and…
A recent survey on UK law department technology, in Law Dept. Quarterly, Vol. 2, May-July 2006 at 21, reports that “almost one third of the departments (30%) allow some or all of their lawyers to work from home up to two days a week.” To read that statement carefully is…
In most law departments, one of the most common processes is to draft or review routine contracts (See my post of Dec. 3, 2005 on ways to expedite contract processes.). I wouldn’t be surprised if lawyers assigned to a business unit spend close to half their time on contract-related matters.…
By early 2004, this tool, which enables online acceptance of terms and conditions, was in full swing. According to a press release, “Employing Click Accept for demonstration equipment loan agreements alone has freed up two full-time positions to take on other work and has reduced cycle time from 10 days…
• Sometimes when you start to type in the name of someone in the “To” line, prior names beginning with the same letters will automatically pop up. Make sure you don’t accidentally choose the wrong name. • When you are responding to an e-mail, it isn’t always necessary (or desirable)…