Rhys Roberts handles media inquiries at the grand opening of the Sacred Chinese Buddhist Archway.
AGILE LAW
The adoption of the term Agile Law borrows from the tradition of Agile Software Development:
Agile software development describes a set of principles for software development under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of self-organizing cross-functional teams.[1] It advocates adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continuous improvement, and it encourages rapid and flexible response to change.[2] These principles support the definition and continuing evolution of many software development methods.[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development
The critical elements of the Agile methodology, developed by the Roberts Gray team, for making the practice of law more effective and efficient are:
- The people who seek our services are viewed as partners, not as clients. Clients buy services but partners share a mutually beneficial journey.
-
Our cross-functional teams analyze problems and issues and, then, identify the best strategic approach for securing outcomes that meet the expectations of our business partners. Frequently, outcomes are not achieved within a court but within politically sensitive and highly competitive marketplaces. Therefore, solutions are seldom entirely matters of law.
-
For outside the court room – addressing the pressing needs of those who seek our services – we focus on empirical data and evidence and methodologies that are durable in the face of rigorous questioning and testing.
-
We use evidence-based processes to better understand our customers and to develop products and services that solve their problems and create powerful opportunities for them. We combine the services of a range of specialists (social marketing, lobbying, government relations, political liaison, perception and issues research, consultation and community liaison) to develop and deliver successful services.
The Agile Law approach, as defined and implemented by Roberts Gray Lawyers, embodies the following principles:
-
There is a strong focus on partner satisfaction and this is achieved through identification and delivery of a “valuable” service from early in the partner relationship. Parallel professions are used to identify and deliver the value proposition. [Note: Roberts Gray does not have clients. Instead, we partner with individuals, families and business leaders to provide abiding personal and professional legal and corporate advisory – for the long term.]
-
There is sustained flexibility in service design and delivery, with a strong focus on accommodating changing requirements both from the partner perspective and within the socio-political-legal environment.
-
Updates and progress reports are delivered frequently.
-
There is ongoing communication and collaboration between the legal team and the other professionals to achieve key outcomes.
-
Members of the Agile team must be motivated and trustworthy.
-
There is a focus on optimal communications which frequently means a preference for face-to-face communications.
-
Progress is measured in terms of approaching achievement of key goals.
-
Impediments to progress are identified and strategic action taken.
-
There is ongoing attention to good strategy and excellence in legal, social and political progress.
-
Complexities and impediments to progress are rigorously removed.
-
Operational teams are well organised, self-motivated, efficient and results focused.
-
The total team, legal and collaborating specialists, sets high standards and seeks to exceed those standards.