Doing More with Less: Structuring Legal Knowledge to Transform Your Legal Department

March 2021

Abstract

‘We have to do more with less’ – has been the predominant ethos of in-house legal teams since the 2008 financial crisis. In the intervening decade, companies have strived to reduce cost centers, which includes legal teams. In response to this demand, in-house legal teams’ adoption of legal technology and non-traditional legal provider models has made progress towards providing quality legal work while using less resources. Yet, these challenges grow more severe as the law expands in complexity. At the same time, the move to a work-from-home environment during the global pandemic exacerbates the difficulty of sharing legal insights for many. What do we do now?

Authors

Martin Kwedar

Senior Counsel and de facto General Counsel to i360, Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC, USA

Marty Kwedar is Senior Counsel, Technology and Political Law, for Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC, which provides services to Koch Industries, Inc. and its affiliates. Mr. Kwedar provides counsel to cutting edge technology companies supported by KII and its affiliates, and assists the Koch legal team’s legal operations capability. Before joining Koch in 2009, Mr. Kwedar clerked for Judge Maurice A. Ross at D.C. Superior Court in Washington, DC, USA. Mr. Kwedar earned a juris doctorate from George Washington University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland-College Park. He is a member of the bar in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia (corporate counsel) in the USA. Before joining Koch in 2009, Mr. Kwedar clerked for Judge Maurice A. Ross at D.C. Superior Court and worked at small law firms in the Washington, DC area. Mr. Kwedar earned a juris doctorate from George Washington University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland-College Park. He is a member of the bar in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia (corporate counsel).

Erik Smetana

Political Compliance Specialist, Koch Companies Public Sector LLC, USA

Erik Smetana is a Political Law Specialist for Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC, which provides services to Koch Industries, Inc., and its affiliates. He produces research on a variety of legal topics, including political law, and supports the Koch legal team’s legal operations capability. In addition, he works closely with Koch’s political law team in designing and implementing new technology aimed at improving the organization of legal data. Mr. Smetana earned a B.A. in Government and International Politics and minors in Computer Science and Data Analytics from George Mason University.

Companies

Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC

Based in Wichita, Kan., Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America with estimated annual revenues as high as $115 billion, according to Forbes. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining, chemicals, grain processing and biofuels; forest and consumer products; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; electronic components; commodity trading; minerals; energy; ranching; glass; and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested more than $70 billion in acquisitions and other capital expenditures. With a presence in about 60 countries, Koch companies employ more than 100,000 people worldwide, with about 60,000 of those in the United States. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies have earned more than 930 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service.

Koch Companies Public Sector LLC

Koch Industries, Inc., based in Wichita, Kan., is one of the largest private companies in America with estimated annual revenues as high as $115 billion, according to Forbes. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining, chemicals, grain processing and biofuels; forest and consumer products; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; electronic components; commodity trading; minerals; energy; ranching; glass; and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested more than $70 billion in acquisitions and other capital expenditures. With a presence in about 60 countries, Koch companies employ more than 100,000 people worldwide, with about 60,000 of those in the United States. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies have earned more than 930 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service.

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