Legal Technology Journal

Spring is in the air and issue 9 focuses on new beginnings. Firms are branching out, developing new products and services and opening new offices – in different countries and even in Second Life, where no doubt the weather is always good! These ambitious projects rely on effective technology implementation, which in turn requires IT really understanding the firm’s key priorities and relationships.

Marcel Henri, International IT Director of the Year at the Legal Technology Awards (LTAs), outlines the macro project that supported Salans’ rapid international growth. Our profile feature follows a similar theme. Ken Heaps, CIO at Latham & Watkins explains how integrated IT and communications underpin the firm’s successful global expansion. Relationships are the central topic of this issue – in particular client relationship management (CRM). In advance of the Legal Marketing Awards, we focus on how successful City firms derive maximum benefit from client information. Effective CRM also means managing the relationship between IT and its internal clients – the lawyers – as well as enhancing lawyer-client relationships through a combination of leading-edge technology and a client-focused culture.

Janet Day, IT director at Berwin Leighton Paisner and City/National IT Director of the Year outlines BLP’s service-oriented CRM system. Abby Ewen, IT director at Simmons & Simmons, demonstrates the practical approach that keeps Simmons & Simmons ahead of the game. IT director Jan Durant and director of business development Mark Grant show how working together supports client relationships at Lewis Silkin. Our cover feature looks to the future. Field Fisher Waterhouse was the first firm to establish a presence in Second Life. Jane Bradbury, Paul Heywood and Charlotte Bowditch gave me a fascinating insight into life at FFW, where the very latest technology – FFW also won KM Team of the Year and Technology Implementation of the Year at the LTAs – boosts efficiency, innovation and service.

Finally, we turn to renewal. Neil Boddy, CIO at Minster Law ripped IT up and started again with a brand new system, using tools and tactics drawn from his commercial experience to support the delivery of new services.

As technology becomes more interactive and user friendly, IT has simultaneously become both more inclusive and more personalised, giving users the ability to customise the way they access online resources. Choice also underpins the shift towards integrated legal technology. For the next issue, I am looking for case studies that focus on integration and innovation, so if you have experiences to share with LTJ, it would be great to hear from you.

I hope you enjoy this issue of LTJ. Thanks for your positive feedback, comments and suggestions. Your input is always welcome, so do keep in touch.

Joanna Goodman