1. Microsoft Office System
Customer Solution Case Study
Law Firm Adopts Online Conferencing for
Productivity and Competitive Advantage
Overview “Having a powerful, versatile solution for online
Country or Region: United States
Industry: Legal
conferencing will emphasize a long-time commitment
at Orrick, Herrington, Sutcliffe to using technology in
Customer Profile
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe was
creative ways.”
established in 1863 in San Francisco and Melissa Self, Applications Engineer, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
today is one of the world’s most prestigious
corporate law firms. It employs more than For well over a century, the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
2,300 people and has offices in 18
countries. has provided dynamic and innovative representation to the world’s
leading financial and corporate enterprises. Today, the firm is
Business Situation
As a technology leader, Orrick, Herrington known for its extranets, knowledge bases, and other applications of
& Sutcliffe needed a more efficient sophisticated information technology on behalf of its clients. Now,
approach for training attorneys and other
staff on new software rollouts, updates, the firm is deploying a solution based on Microsoft® Office Live
and patches. Meeting to help streamline IT training and, ultimately, provide a
Solution foundation for other kinds of training as well as marketing
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe will deploy the demonstrations, meetings, and even depositions and case reviews.
online conferencing solution based on the
2007 release of Microsoft Office Live With this solution, the firm’s IT executives anticipate providing wider
Meeting and integrated with the 2007 access to training initiatives designed to help to expedite software
Microsoft Office system and other
Microsoft technologies. rollouts, boost instructors’ productivity, enhance the firm’s
competitiveness, and bolster its reputation as a technology
Benefits
 Easier access to training
innovator.
 Faster software rollouts
 More efficient use of meeting rooms
 Enhanced reputation as technology
leader

2. “With the Live Meeting
“We expect IT training to Situation provides two to four sessions on topics
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP was ranging from operating-system updates or
Webcam, we will with
be more effectivebe able founded in 1863 in San Francisco, just as the patches to major application rollouts.
to deploy training and
Live Meeting because city was emerging from the California Gold
Rush into a powerful commercial center. On a Solution
other video
students can attend a foundation of expertise in public finance and After having tried other industry products to
conferencing at the
given session from corporate law, the firm has grown into one of address training-related challenges, Orrick,
the premier international law firms, Herrington, Sutcliffe decided to incorporate
virtually anywhere.”
most convenient time employing more than 2,300 people and Live Meeting into its IT portfolio. According to
and place, be that
Bill Schlich, Applications Manager, encompassing 13 practice areas. Melissa Self, Applications Engineer at Orrick,
Herrington & Sutcliffe, this decision was
during regular work
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
In keeping with the pioneering spirit of its based largely on Live Meeting’s event-
hours or not.” founders, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe is an planning tools, ease of administration, and
innovative enterprise. This is particularly the support for remote training. The firm also
Bill Schlich, Applications Manager, case when it comes to using information liked its enhanced video and chat
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe technology to help its more than 950 capabilities, streamlined layout, improved
attorneys tackle a caseload that includes user interface, and comprehensive
complex transactions and litigation involving integration with other Microsoft technologies.
some of the world’s largest financial
institutions and multinational corporations. In 2006, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
deployed Live Meeting 2005, and the
At its Global Operations Center in Wheeling, following year the firm deployed the beta
West Virginia, the firm develops and deploys version of Live Meeting 2007 to a pilot group
sophisticated solutions that help its corporate of 25 IT professionals. As Self explains, “The
clients track, interpret, and comply with ever- decision to pilot the 2007 version of Live
changing laws and regulations in hundreds of Meeting was an easy one, as the firm is
jurisdictions worldwide. These solutions continually researching and reviewing new
include more than 100 extranets enabling technologies for attorneys, staff, and clients.”
Orrick attorneys and clients to share
knowledge databases, collaborate in state-of- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe plans to use
the-art document assembly and effectively Live Meeting for IT training initially, then for
manage complex litigations involving training on law-related topics, and finally for
numerous parties and counsel. day-to-day staff activities and marketing. The
firm also will test selected features of the
To maintain the effectiveness of its Microsoft RoundTable™ communications
significant IT investment, Orrick, Herrington & device and will consider integrating Live
Sutcliffe must ensure that attorneys and Meeting with Webcam capabilities to create
other staff members are well-versed in these powerful business applications.
solutions and the technologies on which they The firm expects to deploy Live Meeting 2007
are built. As such, IT training plays a central enterprisewide in 2008. Once that
role in the firm’s success. deployment is complete, the solution will be
used by more than 500 Orrick, Herrington &
Maintaining an efficient and effective way of Sutcliffe employees worldwide.
delivering IT training, however, is an ongoing
challenge for a firm with attorneys and staff Benefits
distributed among 18 offices in seven By deploying Microsoft Office Live Meeting,
countries. In a typical month, the firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe expects to

3. “Having a powerful, realize benefits that include more efficient Even within a session that is attended “live”
training, higher staff productivity, and a (in parallel with recording), Schlich believes
versatile solution for stronger competitive position. that training will be more effective than
online conferencing will before, thanks to the support in Live Meeting
Cutting Travel and Downtime for in-session application switching,
emphasize the firm’s Based on positive feedback from pilot users, document uploads, and increased storage
long commitment to especially regarding the streamlined user capacity. “These capabilities can make IT
interface, Self believes the Live Meeting training more effective because we can
using technology in solution will transform the way Orrick, provide participants relevant documents as
creative ways.” Herrington & Sutcliffe provides IT training. For they request and can show exactly how
example, the firm will use the solution to different applications interact with one
Melissa Self, Applications Engineer, Orrick, provide all training for smaller IT rollouts and another,” he says.
Herrington & Sutcliffe some training for larger rollouts—a move that
is expected to reduce the need for instructors Another Live Meeting capability, the
to travel and reduce the downtime and enhanced event planner, will help the firm to
productivity losses that travel frequently ensure that everyone who needs training on a
entails. The firm also expects the solution to given topic can be informed about upcoming
increase the opportunity for students to sessions in time to put them on the calendar.
access a training session whenever, and Instructors, in particular, will benefit. “The
however often, they like. event planner also will help instructors to
plan training sessions, enabling them to
“We look forward to using Microsoft Office focus on the subject matter instead of on
Live Meeting as a core tool for a virtual logistics and administration,” Schlich says.
meeting place to support training and
demonstrations for attorneys, staff, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe also plans to
clients,” Self says. “In addition, with Live take advantage of the Live Meeting Webcam
Meeting our IT instructors will be able to component. “With the Live Meeting Webcam,
record high-fidelity training sessions, when we will be able to deploy training and other
and where it is most convenient, even after video conferencing from virtually anywhere,”
hours or from their home.” Schlich explains. “This will make meeting
planning easier and help us to reserve our
Delivering More Effective Training limited AV conference rooms for special
As Bill Schlich, Applications Manager at events.”
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, explains,
students, too, will enjoy the flexibility provided Boosting Competitiveness
by the solution. “We expect IT training to be In addition to IT training, Orrick, Herrington &
more effective with Live Meeting because Sutcliffe will use the Live Meeting solution to
students can attend a given session at the instruct staff members on vital law-related
most convenient time and place, be that topics such as the impact of the Sarbanes-
during regular work hours or not,” he says. Oxley Act. The firm also will use the solution
“They also can follow a session at their own for demonstrating its extranet capabilities to
pace and repeat it as needed. This will help prospective clients and for day-to-day
the firm bring applications, patches, and activities such as depositions, department or
updates into widespread use that much practice meetings, and case or document
faster, improving productivity overall and review with a practice group or client.
helping us to serve clients more effectively.”

4. For More Information Schlich says that such versatility is due in
Microsoft Office System
For more information about Microsoft part to the support in Live Meeting for
The Microsoft Office system is the business
products and services, call the Microsoft Cybertrust/SAS70-certified data centers and
world’s chosen environment for information
Sales Information Center at (800) secure communication across firewalls using
work, providing the programs, servers, and
426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.
services that help you succeed by
Canada Information Centre at (877) “When it comes time to use the technology
transforming information into impact.
568-2495. Customers who are deaf or for attorney/client meetings, of course we will
hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text put all necessary due-diligence and risk-
For more information about the Microsoft
telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) management procedures in place,” he says.
Office system, go to:
892-5234 in the United States or (905) “At the same time, we do not anticipate limits
www.microsoft.com/office
568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 with respect to confidentiality or archiving
United States and Canada, please contact guidelines for using this technology, and that
your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access is because of its powerful security
information using the World Wide Web, go foundation.”
to: www.microsoft.com
For whatever purpose the firm decides to
ultimately implement the Live Meeting
For more information about Orrick,
solution, Self envisions that it will help to
Herrington & Sutcliffe, call (304) 231-2500
build on a long-standing tradition at Orrick,
or visit the Web site at:
Herrington & Sutcliffe. “Having a powerful,
www.orrick.com
versatile solution for online conferencing will
emphasize a long-time commitment at Orrick,
Herrington, Sutcliffe to using technology in
creative ways,” she says. “This will make us
even more competitive in attracting new
clients and new legal talent alike.”
Software and Services Hardware
 Service  Microsoft RoundTable
− Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS
SUMMARY.
Document published October 2007