Keeping Up With Technology Evolving Your IT Leadership Knowledge and Capabilities Dave Cunningham Shareholder, Baker Robbins & Company

Business Influences Technology Department Services Technology Leadership

Focus on the Business Influences and the Technology Department Services

Business Influences on Legal IT Ø MDPs (multi-disciplinary practices) Ø MPTs (multi-practice teams) Ø Cross-office Teams Ø Mergers and Acquisitions Ø Knowledge Management Ø Portals Ø Cost Containment

Upcoming Influences Ø Supply Chain Management Ø Services ROI Ø E-Business Strategies Ø Seamless online/offline experience Sound like GE 5 years ago?

IT Leadership Benchmarks Ø Corporations Ø International Accounting Firms Ø Some U.K. Law Firms Ø Some U.S. Law Firms

Types of IT Organizations Ø Infrastructure and Staff Churning Ø Tactical and Practical Ø Network + Consulting Ø Executive / Client Focused

Basic Pillars of IT Effectiveness Ø Operational Integrity Ø User Support and Training Ø Communications/Managed Expectations Ø IT Staff Skill and Effectiveness Mgmt Ø Project Management Ø Vendor Management Ø Planning and Budgeting

Advanced Pillars of IT Effectiveness Ø Practice Support Ø Quality/Integrity of Information Mgmt Ø Value Management Ø Risk Management

Traditional IT Skill Sets Ø Server and PC Technicians Ø Help Desk Ø Application Support Ø Managers

Evolving Skill Sets Traditional Ø Server/PC Ø Help Desk Ø App Support Ø Managers Evolving Ø Practice Support Consultants Ø Developers Ø Project Managers Ø Security/Disaster Recovery Ø Facilities Ø Business Analysts Ø Information/Process Mgmt Ø Knowledge Mgmt

Focus on IT Leadership

Leadership Roles Ø Executive Director Ø Partner-in-Charge of Technology Ø Technology Committee Ø e-Business Team Ø Practice Leaders Ø Committee Leaders: Library, New Business, Recruiting, etc.

Technology Staff Mgmt Ø Role §From support to business liaison §From reactive to proactive Ø Level of Involvement Ø Reporting Relationships Ø Peer Relationships

Keeping Current 1. Have a broad context 2. Surround yourself with good people 3. Build-in check points

1. Do you have Context? First, look backwards! Look around. Then, look ahead. Examples: §Looking backwards: VAX to NT §Looking around: Other industries

Understanding Business Issues Ø David Maister ( Ø Richard Susskind Ø Vault.com Ø Forbes and CIO Magazines Ø American Productivity and Quality Center (

Keeping Current on Firm Issues Ø Executive Meetings Ø Casual Lunches Ø IT/Attorney Briefings Ø Tech Committee Agendas

Keeping Current on Products Ø Downplay the role of a product Ø Dont let salespeople intimidate Ø Leverage briefings §Software/Hardware Vendor Briefings §Consultant Briefings Ø Internal cross-training

Training Ø Information Management §Bill Inmon Ø Knowledge Management Ø Project Management Institute

Training Ø Practice Support Consultants Ø Developers Ø Project Managers Ø Security/Disaster Recovery Ø Facilities Ø Business Analysts Ø Information/Process Mgmt Ø Knowledge Mgmt

2. Surround Yourself with Good People Leveraging the Brains and Experience of Others Ø Hire and train well Ø Leverage vendors properly Ø Keep involved throughout the firm Ø Keep involved in the industry

3. Ensure Checkpoints Ø User Surveys Ø Client Surveys Ø Peer Assessments Ø Technology Assessments and Benchmarks Ø Strategic Planning

Follow-up Ø Links to favorite books on business and culture management issues Ø Follow-up questions Dave Cunningham Baker Robbins & Company