Why change anything in a law department when there is always too
much work to do and a good deal of it is interesting. Moreover,
clients appreciate the contribution of the in-house counsel and
have no real complaints.
Innovation is not invention. It is about introducing something
new that, perhaps, has been done elsewhere. Or it is about
improving what is being done and the way it is being done. Legal
professionals do this by inclination and training.
Over the last 5 years, I have seen that many more law
departments have formal, annual business plans in place than was
the case previously. Some are developed from the bottom up after
consulting the members of the department. Too few can be readily
aligned with the company's corporate business plan and
operating priorities. All the boxes are ticked, but it is difficult
to see how the legal team leverages its knowledge of the company
and its skills to add value in the company. Lots of activity, but
the impact is
