Posted: 31/01/2019
The strength, depth and forward thinking of Penningtons Manches’ knowledge team have been recognised by LexisNexis in the shortlist for its 2019 Legal Awards which celebrate excellence and innovation across the legal sector. The firm has been named as a finalist in the PSL/knowledge category, open to teams and individuals responsible for the delivery of exceptional legal support services and promotion of best practice within their organisations.
Formally established in 2014, the knowledge team at Penningtons Manches now comprises a group of 20 knowledge lawyers, knowledge management professionals, document automation specialists and knowledge paralegals supporting over 400 lawyers across the firm’s seven offices. Team members pride themselves on their collaborative ethos, forming a conduit between the legal and central teams to deliver a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
With the overriding aim of streamlining processes to be more efficient for the end user, the knowledge team spearheads a varied and far-reaching programme of initiatives to deliver better value for the business and its clients. They are firm believers in using both new and existing technology to its maximum potential in order to innovate and improve.
Among the key projects delivered over the last 12 months are amendments to the search ordering and post-completion stages of conveyancing transactions, undertaken in conjunction with SearchFlow, to streamline the process for clients; enhancements to the quality and consistency of documents produced across Penningtons Manches and to the automation of business critical material and workflows using Lexis Draft and Contract Express; and the development of Luminance’s artificial intelligence offering, achieving around 85% in time savings on real estate due diligence.
The team’s commitment to encouraging Penningtons Manches’ growth as a business as well as to internal communication has been demonstrated by its role, working alongside the business development team, in the launch of Project Seed which has established a channel for employees of all levels to make suggestions for change and challenge received wisdom. Knowledge champions have also been appointed across all teams, both central and legal, to spread the message of collaboration and change, and obtain buy-in.
Speaking after the announcement of the awards shortlist, partner Tim Palmer, who, as a member of the management board, has overall responsibility for knowledge management at Penningtons Manches, said: “We are delighted to have received this nomination. It is a testament to the dedication, skill and imagination demonstrated across the knowledge team. They have established themselves as highly trusted advisers to the firm as a whole and have a clear understanding of what our lawyers need. Thanks to their efforts, we have made substantial progress in harnessing technology for business improvement and in turning complex ideas into actionable projects.”
The LexisNexis Legal Awards (formerly known as the Halsbury Legal Awards) were launched in 2013 and have attracted an increasing number of high calibre entrants each year. They cover the entire legal spectrum, with 15 categories including those for diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, pro bono, business development, legal services innovation and law firm of the year. The 2019 award winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Wednesday 13 March at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane.
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Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.
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