Shearman & Sterling was selected as the winner in the “Innovation in Data Analytics” category at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards, North America 2021, held on December 9, 2021. Chief Knowledge & Client Value Officer Meredith Williams-Range and Chief Technology Officer Lawrence Baxter accepted the award on behalf of the Firm at the virtual ceremony. The Firm was recognized for developing and implementing Shearman Analytics, a comprehensive master data management program. The three-pillar data program encompasses collection, governance and analysis, giving Shearman & Sterling attorneys actionable insights from contextual data and enabling them to anticipate client issues and needs before they materialize.

By creating a high-tech paradigm that uses historical data tracking to increase predictive capabilities, Shearman Analytics further exemplifies Shearman & Sterling’s commitment to serving our clients and advising them on their most complex and challenging matters.

As part of the recognition, David Beveridge, Senior Partner at Shearman & Sterling, was interviewed by Financial Times for the publication’s “Special Report: North America Innovative Lawyers.” In the report, he commented that Shearman Analytics has helped the firm become more efficient in managing operations and non-client facing activity, noting that a benefit is that lawyers will become more like business consultants who solve legally based challenges.

Meredith Williams-Range was also featured in a Financial Times article, “Law firms focus on digital skills to ease legal pressures,” about the Shearman Analytics platform. “We are getting more competitive with our pricing by analyzing the effectiveness of certain tactics, helping us avoid billing unnecessary hours,” she said.