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Can Law Firms Be Lean?
For those who have had some exposure to Total Quality Management , the reference to Lean or Lean Six Sigma might be familiar. Total Quality Management (TQM), famed for advancing Japanese firms to remarkable achievement in product quality, was also pursued in the service industry. A notable adaptation was in health care. Quality management gave manufacturers a way to detect and measure errors so products could be redesigned to deliver products without defects. We saw similar things happen in hospitals and medical service delivery. In principle, the necessary ingredients to achieve Six Sigma are defined objects, measurable standards and a systematic approach.
In the history of Six Sigma, it was believed that for every one defect a customer found, 10 defects could be caught on the manufacturing floor. Delivering products without defects was far more cost-effective than replacing products that were returned. Returns are costly in tangible and intangible ways. They cost customer satisfaction, consumer loyalty, and market share to name a few. Here it becomes clear that Lean Six-Sigma can be applied to services as well. Business processes, like manufacturing processes, can be improved. Fixing problems in financial transactions, for example, may be more costly than the original invoice.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment
On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes
“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.
Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel
'Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel is a continuation of the discussion of client expectations and the disconnect that often occurs. And although the outside attorneys should be pursuing how inside-counsel actually think, inside counsel should make an effort to impart this information without waiting to be asked.