Innovation.
Innovation That Drives Results
At Fennemore, innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s at the heart of everything we do as a firm. We don’t just practice law. We create, we invent, and we redefine what it means to deliver legal services in a world where the landscape is quickly changing.
Project BlueWave
Project BlueWave is Fennemore’s flagship AI initiative, driving the transformation of legal services through the integration of advanced technology and automation. As a cornerstone of our innovation strategy, Project BlueWave unites our cutting-edge efforts, from AI-powered tools to new operational models, ensuring we deliver unprecedented value and efficiency to our clients.
The name “Project BlueWave” is inspired by the concept of “blue ocean strategies,” which is a central theme in Fennemore’s 2024 strategic plan. Blue ocean strategies focus on identifying and seizing new, uncharted opportunities.
Through the integration AI, cutting-edge tech, and automation, Project BlueWave integrates multiple cutting-edge solutions across the firm, driving efficiencies and delivering exceptional client value. This bold initiative empowers our team to work smarter, not harder.
Stay tuned for more updates in spring, 2025!
Fennemore Labs
Fennemore Labs is an idea incubator and R&D hub where we pursue fresh ventures, pioneer new legal services, and originate transformative business lines. Here, we continuously fine-tune our approach—always seeking better, more efficient ways to serve our clients and operate as a firm.
Our team is comprised of lawyers, technologists, and business professionals. We’re venturing into new territories and employing and developing advanced technologies, including generative AI models at the forefront of the industry. Our pursuits include developing technology-based business models, launching innovative subsidiary entities, and refining existing workflows and processes in ways that leverage technology to drive efficiency and value. We’re not just conceptualizing; we’re executing. Labs is pushing the firm, our clients, and people forward.
Venture Accelerator
At Fennemore, we recognize the unique challenges and requirements of start-ups and emerging businesses—especially in the fast-paced, ever-evolving technology sector. Our Venture Accelerator is tailored specifically to support these dynamic entities by providing them with access to high-quality legal counsel and strategic business guidance. We don’t just offer advice; we partner with founders, providing mentorship and facilitating connections with industry experts to help develop their ideas and strategies.
In some cases, we are able to extend our support further by assisting start-ups in identifying and securing capital resources that are vital for their growth and scalability. Our team works hand-in-hand with these innovators—guiding their businesses from early stages to maturity. Underlying our efforts is a belief in the transformative power of technology-based businesses and our commitment to being a part of the future. We recognize that by assisting these emerging businesses, we are contributing to advancements that are redefining industries and society at large. We’re more than just lawyers, we’re partners in innovation.
Annual Hackathon
Our annual “hackathon” is a dynamic firm-wide event where innovation takes center stage. This event brings together our attorneys and legal professionals—propelling them into brainstorming sessions, team collaborations, and strategic problem-solving scenarios to address the ways to improve client service and firm operations.
The rules are simple: teams from different offices come together to brainstorm and develop proposals. Each idea is then evaluated by a panel of judges. The judges’ role is to select three finalists. Finalists present their ideas in an in-person event to the firm—providing an opportunity for firm members to ask questions and engage with the ideas. All firm members have the opportunity to vote on the winning proposal. The winning team members bag a cash prize and get to see their ideas come to life within the year.
Meet some of the innovators behind Project Nemo, our 2025 Hackathon champions:
Business Practices: C-Suite Team
Innovation at Fennemore is about more than technology development and idea generation; it’s also about business operations. In furtherance of this belief, we’ve adopted a distinctive c-suite model (called the “C-team”) to harness the skill of dedicated business professionals to drive firm operations. This structure allows us to go beyond the traditional model of full-time lawyers managing the firm part-time. Our C-team members working closely with our management committee leverages their business expertise to propel the firm forward. The C-team model ensures that we not only conceptualize innovative ideas but also execute them effectively—continually driving innovation in all facets of our operations.
Fennemore is committed to driving efficiency, delivering increased value to clients, and fostering a startup-like culture that encourages iteration and adaptation within our firm. We embrace the journey of trial, error, learning, and improvement as essential to crafting robust and innovative solutions. We’re not just spectators of the evolving legal landscape. We’re active architects—shaping the future of legal services.