Legal innovation is a buzzword, and it has become a way to adapt to a changing legal marketplace. With the advent of new law companies and legal technologies, lawyers are now leveraging their expertise to deliver cost-effective and scalable alternatives to traditional law firms. Law companies also provide cost-effective solutions to non-regulated legal activities such as intellectual property protection. But the key to legal innovation is the application of ideas and processes to satisfy customers’ expectations.
In other words, innovation is the causal connection between an idea and its adoption. If a lawyer makes a proclamation that he or she is a leader in the field of legal innovation, that proclamation will only be valid if consumers acknowledge the value of that innovation. Without consumer acknowledgment, any lawyer’s proclamation of legal innovation is merely a marketing ploy. However, as legal innovation becomes more mainstream, even the most staunch Luddites admit that the industry is changing.
One legal company that is a prime example of legal innovation is LexisNexis. Not only does the company offer 430+ publications, it has launched a suite of intellectual property solutions to protect and manage your company’s digital assets. It also offers a comprehensive range of research tools.
The company has updated its federal appellate analytics, and has also added a federal legislative history research guide. LexisNexis has also acquired IPlytics, a company that provides intellectual property protection. Also, it has added a variety of new state code indexes to its products. Aside from these additions, it has also released the Fact & Issue Finder, which includes dockets and statutes, as well as a publication status filter.
Lastly, MLex is examining the complex global response to the war in Ukraine, and providing readers with an analysis of the political and diplomatic aspects of Russia’s sanctions. Lex Machina has updated its patent litigation report for 2022, and it has also added a civil process map for California.
Other examples of legal innovation include the launch of Lexis+, which has added nine popular labor and employment-related answer books. It has also been updated to include a folder with a search within the query builder. This is a particularly handy tool for new associates.
Another law firm that has made a name for itself by focusing on the ‘business of law’ is UnitedLex, which has rebadged hundreds of DXC legal department professionals. The company is set to save its clients hundreds of millions of dollars.
Earlier this year, the university announced the incoming faculty for the 2022-23 academic year. Among the faculty are two visiting professors. Elizabeth Chambliss and Ann Eisenberg have been appointed to the faculty. These two are expected to teach a number of courses this semester. They will also continue to expand the School of Law’s student and community involvement programs.
While the legal industry is changing, there are still some dominant players who have not yet emerged. As a result, it is important to remain informed about new law news.