Friday 12 June: Business Strategy

10:30 Chair’s opening remarks: Abby Ewen, IT director, Simmons & Simmons

10:45 Interactive focus groups
Delegates are invited to select one of the following:

A. Widening your IT Governance
There is a clear difference between IT Governance and IT Management; management focuses on delivery, but business IT Governance ensures IT genuinely aligns with business and a firm’s clients. This session will examine the structures, processes and mechanisms needed to align IT to business strategy, with benefits defined, prioritisations set and outcomes measured.
Paul Heywood, IT director, Field Fisher Waterhouse
Nathan Hayes, head of infrastructure and technology, Osborne Clarke

B. Balancing risk and innovation
One of the hardest challenges for any firm to overcome is that of balancing risk with innovation. This session will explore how you achieve both without prioritising one over the other. How do you seize the innovative creativity whilst effectively managing risk; and how do you overcome internal obstacles to achieve this and
what are the key benefits?
Jon Gould, IT director, Burges Salmon
Abby Ewen, IT director, Simmons & Simmons

C. Taking advantage of information system opportunities with compelling value propositions
With the market offering an endless list of suppliers, it is imperative you ensure you are getting the best value from your supplier. This session will address how you can best engage your vendor for innovative solutions and take advantage of opportunities with compelling value propositions in the current economic climate, when
costs and margins remain the focus of attention.
Jay Babiker, account director, Bytes Software Services
Andrew Powell, director of IT, Nabarro

D. Thinking strategically about content in an evolving market
The emergence of online publishers is starting to cause concern for a law firm’s know-how. Until now firms have relatively ignored them at their peril. This session will explore ways you can strategically view content in an evolving market. Can the relationship be exploited with on-line publishers to enhance client relationships from
both perspectives?
Paul Lippe, CEO, Legal OnRamp

12:00 Closing keynote address: Preparing for the upturn
Firms must develop a clearer understanding of future risks and opportunities to succeed in the current recession and in the subsequent upturn. This closing keynote will address:
• Combating negativity and managing effectively in the current economic climate
• Demonstrating the value of implementing fundamental tools and process to achieve a competitive edge
• Learning lessons from the downturn and planning for the upturn
Jane Galvin, head of professional services, Barclays Commercial Bank
Rupert Egerton-Smith, head of strategy & business transformation, Linklaters

13:00 Closing remarks from chairpersons
Abby Ewen, IT director, Simmons & Simmons
Simon Thompson, global chief operating officer, Linklaters

13:15 Lunch

14:30 Close of conference