Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Accounting and Financial Planning for Law FirmsLJN NewslettersNewsSections

Applying Supply Chain Management and the Theory of Constraints to the Practice of Law

By Russ Haskin
July 28, 2011

As you look around the current legal landscape, you begin to notice a rather less than subtle change in the industry. More and more law firms are beginning to hire experienced business professionals from outside the legal industry to help run their businesses. With this experience from outside the industry, new ideas on how to more efficiently run law firms are being adopted. This article focuses on one such topic, namely the concept of supply chain management and the Theory of Constraints.

It is not uncommon in business management to discuss supply chain theory and immediately tie it to a physical product line. Historically, the term conjures up thoughts of Henry Ford and his ideas around line assembly, or in more recent times Toyota's dominance over its management of its suppliers. After reading several well-known books on the topic (recommended reading ' “The Goal” by Eli Goldratt) and sitting down for lengthy discussions with Dr. Mandyam M. Srinivasan (“Srini,” a leading expert on the topic and author of the book “Streamlined”) it became clear that this concept, while rooted in physical production, has great validity in the service industry.

This premium content is locked for Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.