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Improving client experience key to innovation strategy
Not only is innovation critical for large law firms right now, but innovating in the right ways is what will set legal practices apart, says one firm leader.
Jerome Doraisamy
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, McCabe Curwood managing principal Andrew Lacey said that while it is essential for large law firms to innovate at all times, the age of coronavirus has underscored the importance of such innovation.
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“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges we face in interacting with our staff and our clients. Clients face the same challenges and are looking for better ways to communicate and more efficient ways to get the job done,” he said.
“For us, it is about critically looking at existing systems and investing in improving the process and working with our clients and staff to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
There is a need, he added, for the leaders of these firms to drive change in such a turbulent and uncertain landscape: “I really embrace and foster creative thinking and problem solving at McCabe Curwood. As managing principal, it is important to understand the inner workings of our firm as well as understanding the needs of our clients, and having the courage to invest in new ways of doing business.”
This said, Mr Lacey ceded that – for all large law firms in Australia – 2020 has provided a particularly different environment, and “frankly, everyone is doing their best”.
“There is a heightened awareness of the need to innovate across the marketplace,” he mused.
The focus at Mr Lacey’s firm, McCabe Curwood, has been on improving client experience, he said.
“We have recently been listed as one of Australia’s top 10 most innovative firms for our MC Max application which is essentially a tool that we created to improve the user experience of our insurance partners. We have also developed MC Health Check for organisations to self-assess their exposure to legal issues and the MC Convey which produces a sales contract for property transactions within 48 hours,” he outlined.
“These are all tools that are aimed to support our clients and improve service delivery. It also enhances the staff experience as well. The staff really enjoy being part of something that is new and exciting, and that client feedback shows they really enjoy it too.”
To not embrace and work with change, Mr Lacey proclaimed, is a “missed opportunity” for improvement.
“Everyone should want to improve. If you don’t improve, you will be left behind. There are always risks but not being bold in a time like this is a significant one. Now is the time more than ever to look for ways to innovate. The whole world is adapting to change and evolving quickly with it,” he noted.
