A CALL FOR ALL LEGAL INNOVATORS

AUSTRALIA'S leading legal innovators are being encouraged to enter The 2015 ALPMA/InfoTrack Thought Leadership Awards and showcase the projects that are re-defining the way law firms and legal departments operate.

Legal firms and in-house legal departments are invited to enter now (CLICK HERE) with any type of innovative project from an innovative marketing or business development strategy, to the introduction of new business models or service offerings and the creative implementation of new technologies that are changing the practice of law.

Entries close on 9 July and the winner will be announced on Thursday 10 September 2015 at the 2015 Summit Gala Dinner at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Start-up virtual law firm Hive Legal took out the top gong in 2014 ahead of finalists and legal heavy weights AdventBalance, Swaab Attorneys and PD Lawyers.

The virtual law firm successfully launched and won bluechip clients with a broad range of innovative offerings including value pricing tied to performance and savvy IT systems that facilitate remote collaborative working to reduce costs and improve efficiencies.

"Innovation is not about improving the way things are done, but changing it. It's not about thinking outside the box, it's about asking is the box the right shape in the first place," says Jodie Baker, Hive Legal.

"Winning the award was a fantastic validation of what we were doing not only for our lawyers who took a risk in leaving their jobs for such a new business model but also for our clients and potential clients to see that what they are backing is highly valued."

Andrew Barnes, ALPMA President and CFO at the Lantern Legal Group says firms are operating in unprecedented times and they need to step it up if they are to stay ahead.

"There is a fundamental shift underway in the way legal services are purchased and delivered and increasing commoditisation of legal services," he says.

"These Awards recognise innovative projects being implemented to help firms address these challenges and really stand out in this competitive, changing market."

InfoTrack chief executive Stephen Wood adds that it is a great initiative and encourages law firms to get invovled.

"Innovation can be a very over used word, but firms that consistently demonstrate the strategic thinking, vision and commitment that drive new ways of doing things to achieve greater efficiencies and effectiveness than their peers are genuine innovators," he says.

"We are delighted InfoTrack is partnering with ALPMA to present these awards because of the importance we place on innovation, indeed so many of our clients are industry innovators that it's always at the heart of everything we do."

To enter, the project or initiative must meet the following criteria:

• Implemented in the last year
• Demonstrates leadership or innovation in response to the changing legal landscape
• Demonstrate real benefits (in terms of time or cost savings, productivity gains, quality) and show a positive impact for staff, employees and/or partners/ owners as a result of the project
• Undertaken at an ALPMA member's law firm or legal department.
• The judging committee comprises Shelley Dunstone, Principal, Legal Circles; Stephen Wood, Chief Executive Officer, InfoTrack; Shirley Hamel, Principal, Hamel Consulting Services; Brendan Smart, General Manager - Sales, InfoTrack and Dr Peter Lynch, Principal, dci lycon.

Pictured left to right (2014 winners): Jodie Baker, Managing Director, Hive Legal; Will Irving, Group Managing Director, Telstra Business; Jamie Prell, Legal Director, AdventBalance; Bronwyn Pott, Chief Executive Officer.