Diversity and Inclusion: Leveraging Technology to Focus on Progress

Measuring the progress of diversity initiatives is difficult to manage given the exponential increase in data requests from clients, within organizations, and from external organizations. The legal industry lacks customizable reporting applications that work with a variety of standards that can free up resources to focus on strategic goals, not just report generating.   Ballard Spahr's Client Value and Innovation team, in partnership with their Diversity and Inclusion team, have built an application track, monitor, and report on the progress of hiring and retaining attorneys from diverse backgrounds.  Melissa Prince and Jim Boyer will share the background behind the development of their application, demonstrate how it is being utilized and the direction it is heading, and give a sneak peak of the enhancements planned for the future.

Melissa Prince:

Melissa Prince serves as Ballard Spahr's Chief Client Value and Innovation Officer and sits on the firm's Management Committee and Expanded Board.

Melissa focuses on listening to client needs and understanding how each client's business operates in order to make the connection between value and innovation. She oversees the firm's Client Value and Innovation program, which includes more than 20 business professionals focused on creating a customized experience for each client.

Melissa is a frequent speaker, presenter, and author on legal operations topics.  In 2021, the firm won a Legal Intelligencer award for a client diversity scorecard Melissa’s team created to track the firm’s diversity goals against client goals and BTI Consulting named the firm to its Client Service A Team.  In 2020, the firm won a Rethinking the Workplace award from the Financial Times for client technology Melissa’s team built during the pandemic to improve efficiency and communication.  The National Law Journal named the firm to its list of Legal Technology Trailblazers for last two consecutive years.

Before coming to Ballard Spahr, Melissa held similar roles at two Am Law 25 firms. She has over 18 years of combined experience in legal practice, legal operations, and legal strategy. She is a Six Sigma Green Belt, an Accredited Legal Pricing Professional (ALPP), and Accredited Legal Project Management Professional (ALPM).

Jim Boyer:

Jim is the Director of Matter Management & Legal Practice Technology and focuses on understanding the business needs of firm clients and creating practical and innovative technology supported legal solutions designed to meet those needs. His objective is to provide firm clients with exceptional service centered on value, cost-effectiveness, predictability and efficiency.

Jim oversees a team of lawyers, business analysts, and developers that design and implement systems, processes, and applications focused on matter management, budgeting, document automation, and Artificial Intelligence while providing transparency and added value to clients and our lawyers to enhance their business relationships.

Before joining Ballard, Jim was a practicing attorney at an AmLaw 25 firm, serving both large and small clients. His practice focused on complex commercial litigation.

This program is open to attorneys and legal professionals at TCDIP Member Organizations. Visit our website to learn more about our Member Organizations. 

TCDIP will apply for 1.0 Standard CLE credits in Minnesota.