Eversheds Sutherland has rolled out innovation platform Idea Drop across the firm after a successful four-month pilot, becoming the latest in a growing number of firms looking to crowdsource new ideas from lawyers and staff.

All staff across the firm's 66 global offices are now being given access to the platform, and will be encouraged to share, like and rate ideas submitted via its desktop and mobile apps.

Ideas will be monitored by tech and innovation specialists within each practice, who will identify and develop the most promising submissions.

Eversheds co-CEO Lee Ranson told Legal Week: "A lot of organisations limit their innovation to a few select people – it feels very top-down. What we wanted to do here is change that dynamic and make it clear that everyone in the organisation should be thinking about innovation and improvements. We want to create the feeling that it's everyone's responsibility, and we want it to run through the culture and DNA of our business."

Ideas put forward during the pilot included the suggestion of replicating an Apple-style 'Genius Bar' to deal with IT issues, as well as the creation of physical innovation centres and app-based training for clients.

Ranson said the fact that the platform allows staff to submit ideas "regardless of their role or geographical location", was a "real attraction", while fellow Co-CEO Mark Wasserman cited the potential to collaborate with clients.

"Ultimately, we intend to use Idea Drop together with clients, providing another way we can work together on innovative ways to deliver our services," said Wasserman.

Ranson said the platform had been launched with a "considerable" budget, to ensure that financing is not a barrier to ideas being seen through to execution.

A reward structure will also be in place to support staff who develop ideas through the platform. Ranson said: "It can certainly be very relevant to career advancement, particularly if an idea is taken through to fruition and it has significant impact. If it's relevant to the firm's advancement, then it certainly will be relevant to the individual's too."

The Idea Drop platform, which has been developed by an external provider, is also used by other organisations including the BBC, the Metropolitan Police and PwC, although Eversheds is the first global law firm to sign up to use it.

Other law firms with similar initiatives include Linklaters' 'Ideas Pathway' pilot and DLA Piper's 'CEO Challenge' , which was launched in March 2017.