Law Department Management Blog
Ban on software customization of source code. One legal department has decreed that it will not ask for any changes in the source code of any software it licenses. The cost is too high, the rate of success too low, and the time to complete too long (See my post of June 3, 2009: customized software written for legal departments with 12 references.).
Another definition of “high-potential.” Having just written about the concept of high-potentials for in-house counsel (See my post of Dec. 19, 2009: information processing ability is key.), I read in talent mgt., Dec. 2009 at 34, that “High-potential employees are defined as those who have the ability to advance two levels above their current position.” That makes quite a barrier for lawyers who report to the top lawyer, one level up! According to the article, the candidate’s ability to “move into at least two other departments across the organization” also marks them with distinguishment. Quite a few experienced lawyers could clear that hurdle.
Webinar series from Corporate Counsel Technology Institute (CCTI). The Corporate Counsel Technology Institute (CCTI) at Widener University School of Law is developing a 12-part webinar series based on a new book about the DuPont Legal Model, The New Reality: Turning Risk into Opportunity through the DuPont Legal Model. www.cctinstitute.org (See my post of June 7, 2009: E.I. DuPont with 32 references.).
Why lawyers drink coffee and caffeinated drinks. “Caffeine works by blocking a chemical in the brain called adenosine from bonding to receptors on your neurons. Adensosine is an inhibitor that keeps in check many brain regions, including one called the reticular activating system, which basically amplifies brain activity.” So, my grande vanilla latte blocks adenosine which unleashes some parts of my brain into overdrive. Here’s to the buzz, Scientific Am. Mind, Jan./Feb. 2010 at 76 (See my post of June 29, 2009: sleep with 10 references.)!
Z-scores as a method to improve analysis of law-firm rankings. Z-scores take into account differences in scores between items in a ranking, such as evaluations of law firms, and the spread between the top and bottom firms. Another step converts Z-scores into indices so all scores for all rankings fall within the same range.