The firm says its new unit is believed to be the first of its kind for a Scottish-headquartered law firm,  as it pools the firm’s established expertise in the fields of process, automation, technology, data and knowledge to improve efficiency and provide insights aimed at delivering genuine benefit to clients.

Exploring new ways

Led by Lynn Beaumont, head of knowledge and service delivery, and Steve Dalgleish, head of technology, the team is already working with the firm’s legal specialists and clients to identify areas for improvement in service delivery, address the business-critical issues clients face, explore new ways of working, and assist them in achieving their commercial objectives. The unit’s initial key areas of focus are: process analysis – analysing work processes and identifying opportunities for improvement; workflow automation – providing certainty in process structure and delivery; document automation – ensuring the standard and quality of document generation; portfolio management – sharing content, including financial data, with clients using IT platforms; data insights – analysing client data to provide insights to them and help predict future trends; compliance tools – helping clients meet their compliance and regulatory obligations and support risk management; and, client contract management – analysing client contract data and using a range of tools to provide insights and manage risk.

Evolving needs

Andrew Blain, Shepherd and Wedderburn’s managing partner, said “We have brought together the right blend of process, technology, knowledge and people to deliver tools to improve client service, transparency and efficiency. Smarter Working puts us in the best position to respond to the evolving needs of clients, who rightly expect technology and commercial insights to be an integral part of a modern, innovative law firm.” Mr Blain explained, “The unit will help us better understand, manage and address client’s requirements, increase the rate of internal process improvement and the adoption of new technology, and embed our rigorous approach to project management. Embracing new technology is essential, though it should be seen as an enabler of high quality service delivery rather than an end in itself, and is of most value when combined with process, people and knowledge.”