2022 Unsung Legal Heroes: Brownie Davis

Fish & Richardson P.C.

Brownie Davis likes solving problems. As managing architect of software engineering at Fish & Richardson P.C., he’s given great leeway to do so. Actually, he said, a lot of his role is to foresee problems and head them off with both technology and process solutions.

“I joke when people ask me what my job title means that it means anything you want it to mean,” Davis said.

Davis has earned the trust and respect of the firm’s leadership in his 18 years serving in various tech support and leadership roles. He was instrumental in early development of Power Docket, the firm’s innovative platform that significantly increases the efficiency and effectiveness of docket management. That software was named as one of the National Law Journal’s 2021 Legal Technology Trailblazers.

He also heavily influenced the implementation of a common data framework and API for all internal projects to simplify internally developed applications, and he plays a key role in developing the firm’s expertise in artificial intelligence.

As in all industries, technological know-how has become essential to being a top-performing law firm. It’s important, however, to put technology to use where it’s needed while letting the human side of working with clients and colleagues take priority when called for. “One of the things I tell anyone who will listen is, don’t have a solution that you try to fit your problem to. Make sure your solution fits the problem,” Davis said.

“Beyond his understanding of the firm technical systems, Brownie has a rare grasp of the business side of operations,” said John Hinrichs, chief information officer for Fish & Richardson. “He knows what the firm’s attorneys need to better serve their clients, and he knows how to bridge the gap between the firm’s operations and technology teams to ensure they get it.”

Davis said he is grateful that the firm’s leadership has so much faith in him and encourages him to be forward-thinking. “I would not be at all as successful as I have been without the great team that we’ve built and the great environment we’ve established to work together.”

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