The Future of Legal Services Delivery

James is Fennemore Craig’s president and managing partner. The Harvard Law grad launched his career at the firm as a file clerk, learning about Fennemore’s 133-year-old tradition of client-first thinking from the inside out. His top priority is ensuring the firm empowers clients to grow their businesses and build their communities without the law getting in the way.

Innovation and technology are at the heart of how James drives his practice and the firm forward. As a litigator, James and his team have jettisoned written briefs in favor of iPad and virtual reality-based legal packages, collaborated with former Disney animators to create photorealistic CGI for case exhibits, and utilized 3D printing to bring abstract case ideas to life. As a firm leader, James has spearheaded initiatives related to time- and cost-saving artificial intelligence technology, entrepreneurial alternative-fee structures that align firm and client interests, and data analytics that achieve better, faster outcomes for clients.

Thanks to the success of these innovations, James has gained recognition within legal and business communities. He has been featured on the cover of The American Lawyer (“Meet the New Boss ... James Goodnow Shows What the Firm of the Future Might Look Like”), and ABA Journal named him one of “America’s Techiest Lawyers.” Apple profiled James on Apple.com and in a worldwide “Apple in Business” ad campaign. Attorney at Law Magazine has spotlighted James on its cover three times (most recently, “Smash or Be Smashed: Lawyer of the Year James Goodnow Discusses the Future of Law and Shattering Convention”). Martindale-Hubbell peer reviews describe James as “a brilliant advocate” and “dedicated to his clients.”

James is known for his thought leadership at the intersection of law and business. He is a contributor to Forbes, and he writes a legal innovation, leadership and management column for Above the Law. He is the co-author of Motivating Millennials, which debuted at #1 on Amazon in the business management category. He has appeared on or been covered by CNN, CNBC, Good Morning America, Today, Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Financial Post, Entrepreneur, Inc., and many others. The Phoenix native is a graduate of Brophy College Preparatory and received a BS from Santa Clara University, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa and graduated first in his class. While at Harvard Law School, he honed his skills in the acclaimed Program on Negotiation. He now presents regularly on advanced negotiation and leadership.

Trevor Faure is an author, lawyer, and CEO of Smarter Law Solutions. He consults and advises law firms, legal departments, and other legal service providers on strategy, performance improvement, efficiency, business development, operational transformation, technology, talent management, financial and fee structuring.

Faure has been a senior lawyer inside global giants at times of existential change and challenge, including Ernst & Young, Tyco International, Dell and Apple.

He has received the In-House Community Lifetime Achievement Award 2017, The Lawyer In-House Counsel of the Year & Team of the Year, Legal Business Team of the Year & FT Innovative Lawyer commendation.

Ralph served as Chairman & CEO of Orrick for nearly a quarter century, leading the firm as it expanded, diversified and extended its geographic reach, transforming from a domestic firm with California origins to become one of the world’s most prominent global law firms, with more than 1,100 lawyers in 25 offices across the United States, Europe and Asia.

Ralph launched several groundbreaking initiatives that modernized the way Orrick operated and served its clients, including establishing the legal industry’s first on-shore operations center in Wheeling, West Virginia in 2001, affirmatively embracing technology, and instituting non-traditional talent and pricing models, distinguishing the firm as a bold innovator.

The American Lawyer named Ralph one of the “Top 50 Big Law Innovators of the Last 50 Years.” In naming Ralph among the “Most Innovative Managing Partners,” Law360’s editors said Ralph “has left an indelible mark not only on [Orrick]… but also the larger practice by upending traditional career models, rejiggering payment structures and transforming the business of law in many other innovative ways.”

Recognized as one of America’s “100 Most Influential Lawyers” by The National Law Journal, Ralph has long been a frequent speaker on business leadership and the evolution of the legal profession. He is the founder of the Law Firm Leaders Forum, one of the most significant gatherings of law firm leaders that annually examines the critical issues facing the legal profession.

Before becoming Chairman and CEO, Ralph practiced employment law and led Orrick’s highly regarded Employment Law Department, which he founded as a second year associate. He was recognized as one of the “Nation’s Best Litigators in Employment Law” by The National Law Journal, acting as trusted advisor to Fortune 50 clients. During his years as a practicing lawyer, he lectured and wrote extensively on developments in the law, and testified on employment law issues before the California State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

As executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, Bill Deckelman serves as principal counsel and advisor to DXC Technology’s (NYSE: DXC) senior leadership and the board of directors, with global responsibility for all legal, privacy, contracting, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and compliance activities, as well as government and regulatory affairs. Mr.

Deckelman previously served as executive vice president and general counsel for CSC, with global responsibility for all legal, contracting and compliance activities.

Prior to his tenure with CSC, Mr. Deckelman was executive vice president and general counsel with Affiliated Computer Services Inc. He also was an associate with the law firm Winstead Sechrest & Minick and a partner with Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr. Mr. Deckelman was an attorney with MTech Corp. before its merger with Electronic Data Systems Corp., responsible for mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Deckelman holds BA and MBA degrees from Arkansas State University; a Juris Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law; and an LLM degree in international business and economic law from Georgetown University Law Center.

Gina Passarella is Editor-in-Chief of The American Lawyer. She has covered the business of law for her entire career, first as a reporter and special projects editor with The Legal Intelligencer in Pennsylvania and then as senior editor for business of law in ALM's global newsroom. She took over as editor-in-chief of The American Lawyer in January 2017.

Ms. Damon is the National Chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s 350 attorney Labor & Employment Department, where she represents management in the area of labor and employment law. Her practice has a particular emphasis on litigation of discrimination and harassment claims, in the context of single-plaintiff actions and multiple-plaintiff claims. Ms. Damon was one of the founding partners of Seyfarth’s Boston office which opened in 1999 with seven lawyers. Ms. Damon speaks extensively, both on a local and national level, on various aspects of diversity, employment law, employment litigation and the use of lean six sigma in legal processes.