Lost in collaboration?

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen – and the last two months have certainly seen plenty happen on the world stage. With law firms feeling the pressure to respond to the war in Ukraine in ways that reflect the public mood, as much as their professional obligation, the reality of what it means to stand up for societal values has rarely been in sharper focus.

Connected, we’re also seeing firms increasingly sensitive to ESG concerns – and in this month’s team profile, we take a look at what sustainability, wellbeing and social responsibility mean to the leadership team at Osborne Clarke – and a big part of it is the local community. Check that out to learn learn a bit more about work around sustainability in the West Country.

Meanwhile, the issue of how to make hybrid teams gel and buzz with creativity – beyond just ‘offering flexibility’ – continues to crop up this month. Have a read of our column from Forsters’ Anthony Stables on getting the IT team together in-person to learn a little of how his function has applied a twist to the standard collaboration days template.

And of course, don’t forget to check out our cover story on the very topic of collaboration – that in-person ‘buzz’, the idea of ‘learning by osmosis’, and the perhaps mythical ‘watercooler moment’ come under scrutiny. We have opinion from legal leaders at Stephenson Harwood, Farrer & Co, Charles Russell Speechlys, Reed Smith and Irwin Mitchell.

There’s plenty of opportunity to be found in the evolution of hybrid-working still, according to the leadership team at Intelligent Office – this month’s spotlight industry interview.

Plus, we hear from Jack Shepherd at iManage, Alvin Tedjamulia at NetDocuments, and find out how Foot Anstey has adopted Bundledocs as its go-to court bundling tool.

And there’s lots more valuable market insight and comment from our industry partners at BigHand, FileTrail, G4S, iManage, Intapp, Peppermint Technology, Pinnacle and Williams Lea.

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LOST IN COLLABORATION?

Are law firm people missing out on the ‘buzz’ of in-person collaboration and the strategic differentiation it can yield? Josh Adcock asks legal leaders how they’re navigating the maze of collaboration options, helping their people find their way to potential collaborators, and what ephemeral element is lacking from collaboration in a hybrid world.

OUTSOURCE OF INSPIRATION

Josh Adcock hears how the newly expanded leadership group at Intelligent Office predicts operational challenges for law firms will evolve in the world of hybrid working and explores the ways outsourced business support staff can help to manage change.

BROADCASTING KNOWLEDGE STORIES

The value of a thing should seem self-evident – but sometimes it needs someone to shout its virtues. Addleshaw Goddard’s Richard Gaston and Liberty Chrismas share the tale of their campaign to encourage knowledge sharing behaviours within the firm.