Leading global law firm Baker McKenzie has appointed Dera Nevin to join its IPTech Practice Group.
A preeminent international ambassador for legal innovation, Dera has significant global experience designing and implementing technology solutions, building e-Discovery operations, implementing vendor convergence, and spearheading strategic initiatives to increase information governance, litigation readiness and data quality. She is widely published and cited as a leader in her field, in particular on the role of artificial intelligence in legal service delivery, and teaches at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law.
Kevin Coon, Baker McKenzie’s Toronto Office Managing Partner, said: “Dera is considered a leader in legal technology and its integration into the delivery of legal services. Her experience, passion and understanding of the relationship between the use of technology, business strategy and execution will strengthen our ability to provide innovative legal solutions for clients.”
Theo Ling, who heads Baker McKenzie’s Canadian Information Technology Practice and is a member of the Firm’s Global Innovation Committee, said: “Dera is a prominent figure in the industry with great experience and pedigree. She will join our team of extremely talented lawyers as we work to address changing client needs, new industry dynamics, and look to increase legal technology effectiveness in practice.”
Baker McKenzie was the first law firm to roll out its eDiscovery Technology Services worldwide, across the Firm, in almost 50 offices, to enhance its client support. It has also opened Toronto-based ‘Whitespace Legal Collab’, the world’s first multidisciplinary legal ‘lab’ which addresses complex global challenges facing business, law and technology, closely followed by a legal tech partnership with ReInvent Law in Frankfurt, Germany and relationships with universities and academia globally.
Bryant Isbell, Managing Director of the Firm’s Global eDiscovery & Data Advisory Group said: “We are really pleased to have Dera joining the firm. Her experience in eDiscovery and Litigation Support technology, as well as information Governance will be a great value add to the firm and our clients. We are looking forward to collaborating and working with Dera and incorporating her valuable experience and consulting advice into our growing offering.”
Dera commented on her appointment: “What fascinates me is the intersection of law and technology, and identifying situations in which technology can improve legal outcomes, improve access to justice, and increase accuracy and efficiency of legal outcomes. Baker McKenzie is leading the legal industry in the use of new technology, so I’m excited to be part of that as it continues to meet the future needs of its clients. It’s Whitespace Collab is enabling cutting edge work and collaborations that are focused on innovations for data privacy, smart cities, and other data-related challenges, through information governance and e-discovery.”
With more than 650 lawyers in 47 countries, Baker McKenzie has the largest Information Technology & Communications Practice in the world, consistently ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global for TMT, Data Protection and Outsourcing.
Until recently, Dera was responsible for e-Discovery, technology solutions and procedure initiatives at several market leading law firms in Canada and the US.
