With May upon us—and the remnants of a particularly long winter (at least for our New York offices) starting to fade—it’s a natural juncture to turn our daily thoughts to the future. Maybe you have an upcoming event that you’re looking forward to, a much needed beach vacation planned for this summer, or a big case just around the corner. The change of seasons can do a lot to refocus our energies and get us thinking about what’s next.

In the legal department, the harbinger of the path to a brighter tomorrow is lit by innovation. That’s not to say that a particularly ambitious project or case won’t be what gets your team thinking about tomorrow, but overcoming that challenge by thinking creatively, pushing through pain, and finding an original solution can crystalize possibilities to see the true potential of your efforts.