Practice Overview
New technologies and processes are transforming in-house legal departments, but staffing models, too, are shifting to create new efficiencies and respond to the need for updated departmental skills and expertise. Meet the VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | NEWLAW professionals – a new position in corporate legal departments that is increasingly helping free up attorney time to focus on legal matters instead of operational ones. The recognition that operations, innovation, technology, and procurement should actually be the responsibility of an identifiable individual, rather than part of the portfolio of the general counsel is the biggest emerging trend in legal operations. The VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | NEWLAW professional is typically occupied with project management, financial planning, and managing outside counsel. But these VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | NEWLAW professionals are also responsible for strategy, goal setting, and managing budgets, people, and vendors. Additionally, VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | NEWLAW professionals play a crucial role in change management, which might explain their recent popularity. The VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | NEWLAW professional is often the person to decide what technology changes make sense and to determine how those technologies should be implemented with consideration of financial and operational implications such as budgeting, staffing requirements, outsourcing, and training.
NEWLAW | RELATED EXPERTISES
You may think you are safe from financial-economic crime (FEC), because you work with people you trust or even with family and friends. You may think your procedures protect you against financial-economic crime (FEC) and limit the risk to you. Yet, without knowing it, your…
Discover MoreJust as markets are converging, so too are corporate functions, and what was once seen as support inside a company has become foundational to growth and market share. The legal function is suddenly in the spotlight. It has an opportunity to “skip a generation of…
Discover MoreVAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | FORENSIC AUDITING’s legal managed services is an umbrella offering that provides technology-enabled support, including automation for high-volume repetitive or event-driven legal work (where permitted by law). Legal managed services are delivered in close collaboration with professionals from across the various…
Discover MoreCorporate Legal Departments are seeking ways to have greater transparency. They reduce third-party spend with legal providers. Corporate Legal departments are also looking for a coordinated, one-stop-shop approach for managing cross-border legal needs. VAN LEEUWEN LAW FIRM | FORENSIC AUDITING provides coordinated and efficient services to…
Discover MoreNewLaw | Framework for practicing legal operations
Support your team with targeted professional training Current reality Many In-House Legal Departments do little to onboard new hires, missing an opportunity to activate and engage new team members. And once on-board, these departments typically offer fragmented training opportunities, or worse, rely on their HR…
Discover MoreInnovate, automate, and solve problems with technology Current reality In-House Legal Departments often rely on manual, time-consuming, and fragmented point solutions. They may lack an overall technology vision and are deploying costly applications that are underused and disconnected from the team’s workflow. Desired state Create a…
Discover MoreCurrent reality Many In-House Legal Departments are completely short-term and reactive in their planning, guided by the incoming work rather than larger strategic priorities. Desired state Set department mission/vision and develop strategic priorities that serve the needs of your department and the overall business. Bring…
Discover MoreMatch the right work to the right resource Current reality In-House Legal Departments often assign work indiscriminately today, sending it to a “default” firm or vendor. This can lead to increased cost and diminished speed and quality. Desired state Create a complementary ecosystem of vendors,…
Discover MoreLaunch and support special programs and initiatives Current reality Most In-House Legal Departments lack specialized program management skills and experience, making it difficult for them to implement effective initiatives at scale. Desired state Design, implement, and lead department-wide and company-wide initiatives that work. Take on…
Discover MoreFree up your legal teams through focused practice operations Current reality In many In-House Legal Departments, lawyers often wear many hats out of necessity and end up handling tasks that don’t require a legal degree. Tasks often aren’t assigned strategically or with expertise in mind.…
Discover MoreBuild effective and motivated teams Current reality Often, In-House Legal Departments are assembled without a clear overall vision, meaning they may hire for short-term need rather than overall fit and long-term effectiveness. In many cases, key aspects of the employee experience – such as career…
Discover MoreTap the knowledge and capability of your entire organization. Current reality Today, In-House Departments often struggle to find and retain knowledge and best practices. Most rely on unstructured “tribal knowledge” that fails to scale as the team grows or changes, forcing costly re-work. Desired state…
Discover MoreDevelop firm and Design information policies that fit your business and minimize riskvendor relationships that deliver value Current reality In many cases, In-House Legal Departments will have little or no structure in their information governance. These departments manage this loosely, if at all, making it…
Discover MoreDevelop firm and vendor relationships that deliver value Current reality Today, firms and vendors are often selected either for tactical reasons or due to personal relationships. Lacking clear alternatives, In-House Legal Departments may default to traditional pricing and staffing models, which can deliver less accountability…
Discover MoreMaximize your resources through sound financial management Current reality In-House Legal Departments may operate with little clarity or predictability in their budgeting. This can lead to unexpected shortfalls, tensions with the business, and a lack of financial context when making investment decisions. Desired state Develop…
Discover MoreMake better decisions through data. Current reality In-House Legal Departments today often make minimal use of data and metrics. These departments may struggle to access or identity the right data and lack the culture or tools to make consistent use of analytics. Desired state Manage…
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