114: In-house Legal in a Digital Age with General Counsel, Bill Deckelman of DXC

LeftFoot - Fresh Conversations on the Business of Law

Technology Investment Pressure Will Continue

EVP, General Counsel and Secretary of DXC Technology, Bill Deckelman is one of the most innovative General Counsels in the market today, we’re excited to feature him as our first GC in our Executing Change Series.

Bill Deckelman had a clear understanding of both the mission and execution that lead to the well-publicized rebadging of 225 of DXCs 525 lawyers. Redundancy brought on by the merger that created DXC and the need to reduce legal spend sent Bill and his team searching for a solution that also met long-term goals of improving speed to market and compiling data to improve performance.

Once outlined there were many compelling reasons for DXC and the individuals directly affected to embrace the impending change. The legal industry and business are changing and the rebadged team saw this as an opportunity to work for an organization continually investing in technology and the discipline to be process driven; while DXC saw the value of accessing people operating within cutting-edge practices. Essential for Bill was the immediate support of the DXC CEO; noting a definite turning point when the concept clicked with the leadership team. Over time, as the communication around the benefits became clear; support for the change continued to grow.

Bill sees the digital transformation as the driving force behind change in business and in legal, that technology will enable work, but people need to open their minds to new ways of doing things. While technology can be implemented quickly; preparing people and changing an organizational culture takes time. DXC is moving the needle on value; promoting the need to be efficient while exercising professional judgment when it comes to risk.