I'm a lifelong fan of motorsports, and Formula 1 in particular. There can’t have been too many race weekends over the years when I haven’t managed to get in front of the TV - or better still - to a track.
There's an inherent tension in wondering whether everyone will get through the first corner with their cars unscathed. Can the pole-sitter hold on to their lead? Or will one of the better drivers out of position on the grid make a charge through the pack and make the podium? Countless hours of planning and investment are wrapped up in a matter of seconds when a set of red lights turns green and the drivers race away.
A great driver still needs a great car
In every race, the skills of the individual drivers come to the fore as they deal with different course conditions. A street race like Monaco, with cars inches from walls, is quite a different proposition from a purpose-built circuit like Silverstone, set on an old airfield. And the handful of circuits that run anti-clockwise bring their own challenges for drivers more used to racing clockwise.
That's when watching a truly standout driver like Lewis Hamilton is so thrilling. He's clearly supremely talented, as his record-breaking 73 race victories and five F1 World Championships demonstrate. And there are doubtless many more wins yet to come.
But when you stop and think about it, winning all those races involves a great deal more than just his own - albeit considerable - abilities. He may be one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, but there's no way he could be such a consistent winner without the right car to drive, and the right team behind him.
The right system drives performance
Back in my everyday life, I often find myself thinking that it's a similar scenario for a lawyer using a case management system. You may be the best lawyer in town, but if your firm's case management system isn't up to scratch, you'll be working a lot harder than you should be to maintain your top spot on the leaderboard.
For all his talents, Lewis Hamilton would never win a F1 race driving an ordinary sports car. Even in an F2 car, and driving flat out, he'd still be overtaken by the back of the F1 pack. It's much the same for a law firm: if you're using a case management system that isn't the best on the market, you're at serious risk of being overtaken by your competitors and letting down your clients.
On the other hand, a less skilled or less experienced driver would still have a chance of delivering a decent F1 race result if they were driving Lewis Hamilton's car. So too, if your firm is running the best case management system, you can confidently entrust more of your casework to junior lawyers. You'll know that the system will guide them through the legal workflow, helping them deliver excellent client service and supporting their contribution to your firm's successful performance.
This is part one of an extended blog Series by Simon Farthing, Sales and Marketing Director in the run up to the Visualfiles Share 2019 event.
About the Author: Simon Farthing
Simon leads the Go-To-Market (GTM) function at LexisNexis® Enterprise Solutions with overall responsibility for the Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Sales Operations & Client Engagement Teams. Simon is responsible for ensuring that we develop and enhance our customer relationships and grow our presence within our chosen markets, helping our valued clients gain greater value from their investment with us.
Experience
Simon has been with LexisNexis for six years. He has worked on a number of key strategic client growth programmes leading our Client Engagement Team across the Enterprise Solutions portfolio. He has also acted as Global Account Director for some of our largest international clients. He is a qualified Lawyer, Project Manager and Business Analyst. Simon has over twenty years’ experience in the legal services sector and spent many years of his career practicing law within a number of notable regional practices and subsequently headed IT, Development and Comms for a Top 100, 450 user Law Firm, in his time there implementing Lexis Visualfiles, Microsoft CRM, iManage, Bighand, Artiion and Aderant solutions, to name a few.
Other Hobbies/areas of interest
Simon is a competitive sailor, a technology addict, a motorsports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.
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