Innovation Begins with Information
By Colin Stevenson, OBA President
Faced with the prospect of innovating in their practices, many lawyers – busy with cases, closings, client meetings, and court appearances can get stuck on two weighty questions: why, and where would I begin?
My presidential mandate which is focused on practice innovation will effectively remove barriers to change by offering members five pillars of support – Information, Tools, Testing, Knowhow and Advocacy. These will demystify the options available, demonstrate their applicability to your practice, and deliver proven solutions to create efficiencies, enhance your service and hone your competitive advantage – ultimately making your legal expertise more accessible to the public and enhancing your reputation as a trusted advisor.
With this newsletter, we will provide you with information which illuminates the powerful possibilities and the real professional gains innovation presents to all practitioners, regardless of practice size, speciality or level of technological sophistication.
You will hear from leaders across the legal community, including members of the OBA’s own Technology & Practice Innovation Committee, about how innovative tools and approaches improve the provision of legal services in individual practices and across the justice sector.
You will also receive regular commentary from the OBA’s recently appointed Innovator in Residence, The Legal Innovation Zone at Ryerson University (The LIZ). The trail-blazing team behind this world-renowned innovation hub will bring a global perspective to bear on the OBA’s ongoing work to identify practical systems, software and tools which will equip you to introduce innovations that address your specific needs and those of your clients.
For greater insight and instruction on how to incorporate these offerings and implement the best practices that bolster them, look to this newsletter for a list of upcoming CPD programs that fall within our innovation “knowhow” pillar.
With the “where to begin?” covered off, if you still find yourself asking, “but why?”, I humbly recommend you read my contribution to this issue: Innovation in Legal Practice – why now?. A closer look at the forces at play in an increasingly complex and crowded legal landscape makes it clear that, whether you find it daunting or thrilling, innovation is now an imperative for our profession. The OBA is your "innovation engine", ensuring that our members keep up with the pace of change and that lawyers remain trusted and integral advisors at the heart of a rapidly evolving marketplace.
