Regular blog readers know that I like experiments. Last week, I was catching up with an old risk friend (who taught me and one of my favorite CEOs the ins and outs of ethical walls, nearly two decades ago).

As we reached the end of our call, he said: “Well, I actually have more to say.” To which I said: “Why don’t you write it all down for me?” And, just to show me, he went and did just that.

So in today’s update, I’m pleased to spotlight a guest article from industry veteran and legal risk management expert Mike Guernon: “A Blueprint for Better Conflicts Management: Balancing Precision, Process, and Professionalism.”

It’s a bit longer than our typical posts, so you can read the entire linked article as a pdf. In his essay:

• Mike share his thoughts and advice on building a better law firm conflicts and intake function, taking into account the “realities” of people, process, data and technology.
• He advocates for the use of advanced technology and data-driven approaches to streamline processes, particularly in ways that allow lawyers and risk staff to focus on higher-level analysis and resolution strategies.
• He also emphasizes human factors, noting the importance of building checks and balances to address (inevitable?) errors, and to understand the important of supporting work-life balance in building, training, and growing risk teams.
• Finally, he highlights the value of risk leaders and staff building strong professional networks, including participating in formal industry forums and informal peer discussions, as a way to stay on top of emerging trends, navigate new ethical dilemmas, and make “good practices” even better.

Intrigued? See the entire article here.