Getting to the top takes hard work and perseverance. But staying on top requires constant innovation and reinvention. That's a mantra this year's IC 10 winners know well and one they've implemented to achieve tremendous success in their legal departments.

Whether it's simplifying the RFP process down from dozens of unnecessary pages to three pages and a tweet or creating an in-house version of Wikipedia that synthesizes the whole department's knowledge, our winners have developed inventive solutions that have launched their legal departments to a higher level.

On the following pages, InsideCounsel profiles the 10 most innovative legal departments. Their stories and successes are inspiring, proving what a difference just a little original thinking can make in ensuring their legal teams remain a vital business center within their companies.