I’m not surprised to see some significant stories recently about aggressive efforts by law departments to trim bloated lists of outside law firms and end up with leaner and more aligned panels. There are many reasons: corporate directives, economic stress, cost-cutting initiatives, reports of NYC associate billing rates topping $1,000 an hour, partners hoarding billable
My New Role at Center for Law, Technology & Innovation at Michigan State University
From the press release:
MSU Law’s Center for Law, Technology & Innovation Under New Interim Leadership
Dennis Kennedy will lead MSU College of Law’s Center for Law, Technology & Innovation (CLTI) as its interim director.
Professor Kennedy has been a member of the faculty at MSU Law since 2018, serving as an adjunct professor of
Free Chapter – Diversity is Essential (from Successful Innovation Outcomes in Law)
Chapter 11. Diversity is Essential
There are times, usually when I’m in a room full of white men who look and think in the same ways, that the idea I’ll discuss in this chapter is the most controversial opinion I can state in the innovation setting. However, it’s my core belief.
Diversity, in and of
Student Papers from My Spring 2020 Law School Courses
I taught two law school classes this past semester: “Delivering Legal Services” at Michigan State University College of Law and a brand new courses called “Legal Technology Literacy and Leadership” at the University of Michigan Law School. To put it mildly, the pandemic presented some challenges for both classes, but the students impressed me with
What is a Consulting Innovator?
In The Sign of the Four, Arthur Conan Doyle writes this exchange between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson:
I crave for mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession,—or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world.”
“The only unofficial detective?” I said, raising my eyebrows.
De-risking Innovation – Beyond Ideas Workshop
In two online workshops (April 16 and April 22), I’ll be helping Mike Cappucci and Dean Khialani of FoundationLab (I’m on their Advisory Board) facilitate a free virtual workshop called “Beyond Ideas.”
If you are an innovator in law or have some great ideas that you want to move on the next stage, I encourage
January is Innovation Ideas Month
In yesterday’s Delivering Legal Services class at Michigan State University College of Law, I introduced the approach of using mind mapping and brainstorming as tools to generate ideas. We did some initial experimentation before we launch into some target design thinking sessions over the next few weeks. The blackboard photo shows what we generated in
20/20/2020
Special Innovation Deals for January
If your organization’s number one agenda item for 2020 is demonstrating successful innovation outcomes, I have a special set of limited-time offers to get your efforts off to a great start in January, no matter what your budget is.
Three great options:
1. Kindle Book Discount<. A 20% discount
Idea Assistance for Legal Innovation Efforts
One of the core principles in innovation is you need to generate a lot of ideas. Quantity over quality. Give yourself a lot to choose from. You have to try many experiments. I discuss this topic, especially as it seems to work in the legal profession, in more detail in my new book, Successful Innovation
Pre-Announcing My New Book: Successful Innovation Outcomes in Law
Some of my friends have convinced me that, because the manuscript is finished and with the book designer and the cover design has been chosen, it’s time that I announce the upcoming publication of my new book on innovation in law. I tend to be cautious about announcing things, so I’m just “pre-announcing” now.
The