There is no substitute for legal talent, but legal talent isn't enough, it's how you apply it. This is where innovation comes in. But not all innovations resonate with clients. How many of us have proudly touted the firm's latest game-changing innovation to a client or prospect, only to be met with stony faces? Why, because some ideas aren't really innovations, and some others are, but they don't hit the spot. The big disconnect is around the right innovations, so let's try to identify the innovations which clients really want.

The concept of innovation may seem out of place in the legal sector which is steeped in tradition. But it's very much part of the current narrative. The word 'innovation' was a warm button before the pandemic and it's been a red hot one ever since. GCs tell us repeatedly that they demand meaningful innovation from law firms and are willing to change counsel to get it. It's not that law firms are unaware of this. They know that the choice is stark, either find meaningful and relevant innovations, or fall far behind in getting new business, and keeping the existing book. As the great innovator W Edwards Deming once said, learning isn't compulsory, but neither is survival.

There are some initiatives which were once innovations, but are now the norm. Document review software is an obvious example, since it's now a common tool of the trade. Another more striking example is ALSPs. They were once an innovation, and a big wake-up call, but now they're part of the daily landscape. Then there are other initiatives which are truly current and maybe even groundbreaking, but of no direct value to clients.