Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report for North America 2022

Mary Ormerod rsgi
Mary Ormerod
7 Dec 2022

The FT Innovative Lawyers report for North America was published on 6 December 2022.

RSGI’s research highlights a challenging year for the North American legal sector as 2021’s bumper financial results were tempered in the face of inflation and the rising cost of living, war in Europe, climate change and global trade tensions. This year’s report features a brand new index of law firms, measuring success not only in financial success or the innovation scores we traditionally publish, but also examining how firms are performing in their management of people, social responsibility and digital transformation. See the results here.

© Efi Chalikopoulou, FT
© Efi Chalikopoulou, FT

Kirkland & Ellis was the big winner at the FT Innovative Lawyers awards, taking home the overall prize for Most Innovative Law Firm in North America. As Reena SenGupta, executive director of RSGI, writes in her analysis, Kirkland’s success is the result of a ten year strategy to invest in data and new ways of practising law.

One of many radical shifts seen in the US legal sector is the rise of non-New York firms. Kirkland is a Chicago firm and Latham & Watkins, another high performer this year, grew out of the West Coast.

A successful modern law firm is one that can adapt to instability and change. This is the heart of where digital innovation delivers value, as the law firms in our index have found. Orrick was the winner of the “Reinventing Legal Practice” award for its transformation in M&A practice, using technology to change the experience for clients and lawyers practising in the firm.

"Being more digital is now a minimum requirement for top law firms rather than just innovation. Even three years ago, a clever use of tech may have counted as innovative in the Innovative Lawyers reports. Now, law firms and their clients are using data, tech and design thinking to reinvent legal practice."
Reena SenGupta, writing for the Financial Times
Law firm awards

Innovation in Dispute Resolution: Sidley Austin

Innovation in Enabling Business Resilience for Clients: Orrick

Innovation in ESG Practices: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Innovation in Market Firsts for Clients: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Innovation in Client Delivery: BakerHostetler

Innovation in Digitising Legal Services: Debevoise & Plimpton

Innovation in New Services: Borden Ladner Gervais

Innovation in People and Skills Management: White & Case

Innovation in Reinventing Legal Practice: Orrick

Innovation in Using Data: Kirkland & Ellis

Innovation in Sustainability for Clients: Shearman & Sterling & Ropes & Gray

Innovation in Responsible Business: Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Innovation in Equity and Racial Justice: Sidley Austin

Most Innovative Law Firm: Kirkland & Ellis

Most Innovative Practitioner: Lisa Ellman, partner, Hogan Lovells

Read her profile here

Most Innovative Intrapreneur: Katherine Lowry, chief information officer, BakerHostetler

Read her profile here

Most Innovative Leader: Richard Trobman, chair and managing partner, Latham & Watkins

Read his profile here

In-house legal team awards

In-House Legal Team: Innovation in Commercial and Strategic Advice:
Canadian Pacific

In-House Legal Team: Innovation in Use of Technology and Data:
Salesforce

In-House Legal Team: Innovation in Operations and People Management:
American Red Cross

In-House Legal Team: Innovation in Sustainability and Responsible Business:
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Most innovative In-House Legal Team:
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Read more about this trend in Mary Ormerod’s article for the Financial Times, available here.

" ... what unites all in-house lawyers, whatever the size of the organisation, is the need to engage well with employees, customers and suppliers. Increasingly, lawyers are involved in developing processes that make it easy for a business to act responsibly — or at least make the best decision with the information available."
Mary Ormerod, writing for the Financial Times

Read the FT Innovative Lawyers North America report online here. If you have any feedback or would like to know more about participating in the FT Innovative Lawyers programme, you can contact the research team at information@rsgi.co

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