LWOW is a part-virtual, experiential learning initiative designed for practicing and aspiring legal and business professionals that brings a human-centered design perspective to law.
Given the needs of the new global, complex multi-disciplinary marketplace, successful legal professionals must be creative problem solvers, leaders with a high risk tolerance and business mindset that can use technology, collaboration, leadership, and communication skills to overcome the walls of law. Therefore, LWOW unites law and business professionals with students from 30 law and business schools around the world to co-create innovative solutions to problems at the intersection of law+business+technology while developing the skills essential to all professionals today. Leveraging intergenerational, cross-cultural, multidisciplinary exchange, LWOW changes mindsets, skillsets, and behaviors. Specifically, LWOW focuses on:
UPSKILLING AND RE-SKILLING:
In the process of learning how to innovate in a intergenerational, cross-cultural, multidisciplinary team, LWOW participants develop new mindsets and hone the skills that are essential to being a successful legal service provider today such as teaming, leadership, mentoring, communication, project management, innovation, cultural competency, business planning, problem finding/solving, presentation effectivenes-, technology, networking, and change agency. LWOW enhances the ability to engage in the way clients desire.
TRANSFORMING CULTURE AND RELATIONSHIPS:
LWOW is team-based. In all LWOW offerings, teams of law and business professionals and students from over 20 countries around the world work together virtually and/or in person to create viable solutions to real problems related to the business of law and/or social justice. In the process, in addition to honing the DNA of an innovator and learning new methods of problem solving and innovation, participants transform relationships with their colleagues and their clients and learn new approaches to create community and culture change.
Creating innovative solutions to real business-OF-Law & SOCIAL justice challenges
In all of core LWOW offerings (LWOW Original, LWOW X, LWOW Xed, and LWOW Sprint) teams apply The 3-4-5 Method (TM) (created by Michele DeStefano) to co-create a Project of Worth: a business case, practicable solution, and prototype to a real problem sponsored by a corporate legal department, law company, nonprofit organization, or law firm. They learn new design thinking principal and new ways to innovate and be agents of change. Most importantly, LWOW infuses the hearts and minds of those who participate with a passion and the tools for collaboration and transformation.
BUILDING A CHANGE-AGENCY COMMUNITY
Last but not least, LWOW is all about its community. Now in its 14th year, LawWithoutWalls consists of over 2000 legal and business professionals, academics, entrepreneurs and 35 law and business schools from around the world who share a commitment to staying relevant, playing an active part in the future of our profession, and being part of a “without walls” community designed to create long lasting meaningful impact on participants individually and collectively.