Innovation: Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe

What are some of the firm’s most satisfying successes of the past year and why? Innovation is doing things better, often by meeting previously hidden or underserved customer needs. The Observatory, Privacy in a Box, Joinder and our ESG offerings all meet previously underserved customer needs. At Orrick, we strive to innovate for the benefit of our internal and external customers. To build these solutions, we provided our colleagues with best in class technology to enable remote work and focus on the complex work that brought them to Orrick. We also created new roles that bring greater diversity to our teams and offer new career paths. For our clients, we spend an extraordinary amount of time listening to what they’re facing to unearth new or unmet needs. We understand our value isn’t just in reducing risk but contributing to competitive advantage. The Observatory, Privacy in Box, Joinder and our ESG offerings are all legal solutions that both address legal requirements but also enhance our clients’ customers’ experience. Lawyers are often criticized for a lack of creativity and resistance to change but in fact they are incredible problem solvers. We work hard to harness those skills and bring our colleagues’ ideas to life, while maximizing their impact within the firm and with our clients.

What, if any, boundaries stood in the way of the firm’s innovative accomplishment, and how were they surmounted? COVID-19 certainly changed everything and initially had us concerned about our ability to remain connected. But instead, COVID-19 accelerated innovation and increased our creativity in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Despite the difficulty we all face, in many ways we’re more connected, more creative and more invested in our culture of inclusion and transformation. We’re more attuned to our colleagues and clients as whole people. As we work together to solve challenges, we see pets, family members, gardens and personal photos. This makes us all more human, inspires creative thoughts and often gives needed moments of levity. All of this fosters creativity, trust and risk taking—the pillars of change.