Law Practice Innovation: Focusing on Added Value

4 minute watch
October.21.2019

Overview

Sometimes new tech does nothing more than “automate chaos.” Scott Fuller of Applied Materials and Rhonda Jenkins of Reynen Court talk with Orrick’s Wendy Curtis and Vedika Mehera about how to extract value from new technology—including thinking about ROI and the value proposition from day one of development.

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Presenters

Wendy Butler Curtis Chief Innovation Officer, eDiscovery & Information Governance, Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation

Washington, D.C.

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D:+1 202 339 8584
E: [email protected]

Practice:

eDiscovery & Information Governance
Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation

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Wendy Butler Curtis Chief Innovation Officer

Washington, D.C.

Named the "Most Innovative Lawyer of the Year" by Financial Times in 2018, Wendy is celebrated by clients for her “fresh thinking, legal nuance and practical understanding of the courts.” FT editors noted that “rarely have our panel of judges so quickly homed in on a top candidate for innovative individual.” As Orrick’s Chief Innovation Officer, Wendy leads Orrick’s efforts to operationalize innovation through novel products, streamlined processes, technology and client consulting on tailored solutions. These efforts have contributed to Orrick being named the Most Innovative Law Firm in North America by the Financial Times from 2016-2018 and seven consecutive years being in the top 3. In 2018, The American Lawyer also honored Orrick with its first-ever Legal Services Innovation Award.

Wendy leads an innovation team of lawyers, technologists, developers, project managers and business professionals. FT notes that Wendy “understand[s] the diversity of roles that make a team great” and has “introduce[ed] many new technologies and delivery models that have transformed the way the firm operates and works with clients.” She is also recognized by Chambers as a leading individual, nationally, in the area of eDiscovery. Wendy is the chair of Orrick’s eDiscovery and Information Governance Group. She has been engaged by Fortune 100 companies and major financial institutions to create and deploy eDiscovery and records management programs. Wendy has substantial experience in pharmaceutical, product liability and class action litigation. Her litigation experience includes multiple trials, supervision of regional and local counsel, management of complex discovery and meet-and-confer negotiations.

Vedika Mehera Director of Orrick Labs

Boston

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D:+1 617 880 2263
E: [email protected]

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Vedika Mehera Director of Orrick Labs

Boston

Vedika has devoted her career to improving the delivery of legal services. She leads Orrick Labs, the firm's skunkworks, where custom legal solutions are designed and developed for clients and lawyers of the firm. She is trained and skilled in legal operations and technology and frequently applies Six Sigma principles to projects.

Using her background as an attorney and experience in managing high-impact projects across a variety of legal operational challenges, Vedika is a trusted advisor to our clients and regularly consults on solutions for contract lifecycle management, document and workflow automation, process improvement, knowledge management, data analysis, AI, and other issues that are top of mind for the industry.

Vedika also supports practice innovation efforts across the firm, including strategy and implementation of legal technologies for lawyers, re-engineering practice groups, and driving and influencing change in how firmwide resources execute on service delivery. Her efforts ensure that a commitment to creative problem-solving and human-centered design are leveraged across internal and external solutions alike, positioning the firm’s clients to excel at supporting their businesses, and the firm to remain on the leading-edge of innovation.

In 2020, Vedika was listed to the Changing Lawyer Awards, and in 2023 she was awarded the Graduate of the Last Decade award by her alma mater, Suffolk University Law School.

Law Practice Innovation: Focusing on Added Value

Overview

Related Materials

Insights

Law Practice Innovation: Time for a Tech Upgrade?

Law Practice Innovation: Leveraging Data

Practice:

Wendy Butler Curtis Chief Innovation Officer

Vedika Mehera Director of Orrick Labs