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Knowledge Management Round-Up: Reliving (and Re-loving!) 2018

27 Dec

blackboard business chalkboard concept

By Gwyn McAlpine, Director of Knowledge Management Services, Perkins Coie LLP

Once is chance, twice is a coincidence, and the third time is a pattern.  If that is true, then this 3rd annual KM Round-Up post marks a pattern, now a year-end ritual to complement your holiday madness.  You can read 2016’s “chance” here and 2017’s “coincidence” there.  But the gist of it is that we assume your professional and/or personal life got in the way and you missed some of ILTA’s excellent programming related to knowledge management.  Based on the amount of traffic the round-up posts get, you’re not alone.  Below is a list, loosely organized into categories, of KM-related programming.  Because KM professionals have varied interests, I tend to embrace a broad range of content for this post, including things like innovation and data analytics, but leaving out some other areas that may not as commonly fall to KM, such as pricing and security, even though many of us are best buddies with our pricing and security colleagues.

Pour yourself a glass of eggnog and join in as we reflect on 2018.  Some observations:

  • If all this programming were a single word cloud, the word “Innovation” would be really, really big. Enormous, in fact.
  • Despite our penchant for calling everything innovative, we are over the hype. After past years’ frothy excitement over artificial intelligence, we now want contributors to prove it with specific use cases, screen shots and practical tips.  Don’t tell me how it should work; tell me how it has actually worked.
  • Many KMers are revisiting the classics, but applying lessons learned and improved technology. Bedrock topics, like enterprise search, experience management and KM strategies, made a strong showing.
  • We continue to have wide-ranging interests. I start this list by looking for content by KMers, for KMers and then follow those themes to a broader set of contributors and consumers.  There are a lot of diverse topics below.  That could mean that we are struggling to focus, or that we are fascinating people to have at a cocktail party.

All entries are hyperlinked, so you can dive into interesting content without delay.  Do keep in mind, though, that you may need to log into the ILTA website first to access some of the links.

Happy happy, merry merry!

Artificial Intelligence

Bots

Client-Facing KM

Collaboration

Competitive Intelligence

Data Analytics

Document Assembly/Document Automation

Document Management

Enterprise Search

Experience Management

ILTACON

Innovation

Intranets and Portals

KM Strategy

Misc.

Professional Development

Research and Practice Support

Training, Onboarding and Promotion

If you’ve read through this list and said, “hey, my name’s not up there!”, never fear.  2019 will offer lots of opportunities to contribute as a writer or speaker.  Contact the KM and Marketing Technology Content Coordinating Team to offer up your services.  You can also update your ILTA Profile to include your areas of knowledge and expertise.  In fact, why don’t you put that on your new year’s resolution list right now?  Happy listening, reading and learning!

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ILTACON 2018 Recap

28 Sep

iltacon2018Sharon Lee, Knowledge Management Specialist at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

The KM quarterly virtual roundtable held on September 12 provided ILTACON 2018 attendees a forum to share their personal recap of the conference.  The engaging discussion was led by Gwyn McAlpine, Director of Knowledge Management Services, and Amy Monaghan, Practice Innovations Manager, of Perkins Coie. If you missed the roundtable, listen to the recorded discussion.

Highlighted Sessions

ILTACON attendees shared their favorite sessions and key takeaways. We thought it would be helpful to provide the links to the sessions from the KM learning pathway and those discussed during the virtual roundtable.

Monday Sessions

Tuesday Sessions

Wednesday Sessions

Thursday Sessions

Additional ILTACON 2018 recordings and materials are now available on the Downloads page.

Other Discussion Topics

ILTACON attendees also provided feedback on new conference features: learning pathways and collaboration sessions. The learning pathway designated for KM professionals received positive reviews. Attendees agreed that this option eased the process of selecting sessions.  The collaboration sessions also received positive feedback. Attendees shared that it was nice to network with peers and share takeaways from earlier sessions.

Did you attend ILTACON 2018? We encourage you to share your favorite sessions and key takeaways in the comment section below.

Data Analytics Series Coming to ILTACON 2018

16 Aug

abstract art blur bright

By Steve Lastres of Debevoise & Plimpton (ILTACON Education Committee facilitator), Andrew Baker and Karl Haraldsson of HBR Consulting

What is my legal exposure in this case? How much should I settle for? What’s market for this contractual provision? These are examples of key questions clients ask, and the answer from their lawyer is usually subjective in nature. To paraphrase Ed Walters, CEO of Fastcase, the industry is far too reliant on “hunches” and too light on data and statistical responses. As firms seek to modernize and respond to evolving client expectations, the data use environment is changing. That should not be surprising, as the use of data in virtually every other industry is on the rise.

In response to the increasing activity and interest in the crossroads of law, data, and strategy, ILTA has composed a four-part Data Analytics Series. Each session in this series is designed to showcase new perspectives, real examples of success in our industry, and fresh stories from those who are putting in the hard yards.

In Session 1, Data Analytics in Law: A Primer, Ed Walters will kick things off. On the tail of releasing his book, Data-Driven Law, Ed will lay the groundwork for all four sessions. He’ll describe what data analytics is, why it is important to the legal industry, and how it will change the way lawyers ply their trade. Ed’s session will be on Monday, August 20th at 1:00 PM. You won’t want to miss it.

Session 2, Building and Institutionalizing Data Analytics Capabilities Within Legal, is all about what it takes to establish analytics capabilities within a law firm. The format will be casual and the discussion organic. Aaron Crews (Chief Data Analytics Officer, Littler Mendelson), Peter Geovanes (Head of Data Strategy and Legal Analytics, Winston Strawn), and Bennett Borden (Chief Data Scientist, Drinker Biddle & Reath) will answer our questions and yours, covering everything from how they got there to the focus of their efforts and beyond. This won’t be a theoretical session. Instead, our three guests will concentrate on concrete actions, lessons and accomplishments that have served them well. Session 2 will be on Tuesday, August 21st at 11:30 AM.

Session 3 will be nerdy but approachable. Analytics can seem impenetrable, but getting started is as easy as counting. HBR Consulting’s Andrew Baker and Karl Haraldsson will lead you through a Data Analytics Bootcamp Blitz. You’ll learn how to explore data, visualize trends and patterns, and even create predictive models using R, an open source statistical analytics program. R is a core statistical programming language that’s heavily used in data science, and we want to get you started using one of the most powerful tools out there. We’ll be using the website Kaggle as our “laboratory” for this class. If you want to get a head start, you can check out the Notebook here. You don’t need to run through the whole vignette, but we’ve linked to some online articles and interactive lessons that might be helpful to look at ahead of time. If you know you’re going to attend the bootcamp, go ahead and create a Kaggle account so that you can follow along in person. This will be a 90 minute session on Wednesday, August 22nd at 3:30 PM. Be there or be square.

Session 4, Advanced Data Analytics in Legal, will be special. Unlike the other sessions in the Data Analytics Series, this hour will focus entirely on three groundbreaking data projects in the legal industry. Mike Nogroski of Chapman & Cutler will talk about how his firm is using text analytics to streamline document review and provide insights on the transactional side. Raul Taveras of General Motors will walk attendees through GM’s use of descriptive and predictive analytics to support lawyer awareness, litigation strategy and decision-making. We’re ecstatic about this talk, and we can’t wait for our speakers to paint a picture that shows some of the art of the possible. Session 4 will be on Thursday, August 23rd at 2:00 PM.

This is the first Data Analytics Series of its type at ILTACON. Data analytics has already broken through at some legal organizations, and there is much more to come. We hope that this series will resonate with the community, arming it with knowledge it can use well beyond this year’s conference.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Andrew Baker (Data Analytics Series moderator), Karl Haraldsson (Data Analytics speaker) and Steve Lastres (ILTACON Education Committee facilitator)

 

ILTACON 2018—Sessions of Interest to Knowledge Management Professionals

13 Aug

iltacon2018By Deborah S. Panella, Director of Research & Knowledge Services at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, and Sharon Lee, Knowledge Management Specialist at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

ILTACON 2018 kicks off in Washington, DC, in less than one week.  We reviewed the Conference Session Grid and curated a list of sessions that may be of particular interest to KMers.  Note that in addition to the sessions we highlighted, there are many others on Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Innovation, Leadership, Training and more, so be sure to review the full agenda, including the Business Partner Education sessions.  We encourage you to share which sessions you plan to attend in the comment section below.

Sunday, August 19

Arriving on Sunday? Get a head start at ILTACON by joining other KMers at the Knowledge Managers Collaboration Kickoff (4:00 – 5:30 PM). Collaboration series description:

Knowledge Managers – your connection and collaboration journey starts here. A facilitator and ILTA members will lead you through this interactive Collaboration Kickoff. You will make connections with peers and discuss common issues. Wine and Beer are provided, sponsored by Traveling Coaches.

Monday, August 20

Lisa Bodell, Founder and CEO of futurethink, will kick off the educational sessions with her keynote, KILL THE COMPANY: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution (9:00 AM to 10:30 AM).  Keynote description:

Winning innovators embrace change — do you? What holds you back from better innovating, every day? In too many organizations, we’re stuck in the land of status quo. We’ve forgotten how to think differently, and lack the simple tools to solve problems creatively. The very structures put in place to help organizations grow are now holding us back. This keynote is an inspirational call to arms: to start a revolution in how we think and how we work.

11:00 AM to Noon

Begin your ILTACON journey with the first KM-focused session, New Frontiers in Enterprise Search, featuring Richard Krzyminski, Chief Knowledge Management Officer at Baker Donelson, Todd Friedlich, Sr. Manager of KM Technology and Innovation at Ropes & Gray, and Simon Pecovnik of iManage. Session description:

Enterprise search is a mature industry. Or is it? Come and see what the future holds for enterprise search and learn why firms are migrating from tools that have served them well for years. Will the promise of AI improve search for your users? Will enterprise search play a bigger role in how your firm practices law in the future, expanding far beyond merely helping your users locate documents, matters and expertise? Come to this session and find out!

Additional sessions of interest:

  • The Evolving World of Client Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Blockchain 101: It’s not Just Crypto-Currency (Blockchain Series Part 1/4)

1:00 – 2:00 PM

The session, Data Analytics in Law: A Primer, is the first of four sessions in the Data Analytics Series featuring Edward Walters of Fastcase. Session description:

Data Analytics is emerging as a powerful tool for lawyers and legal organizations. Experts will talk through what data analytics is and how it can be applied to the practice of law. Hear about what’s happening, what’s possible, and how it can reward those who invest in this area.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Where is Artificial Intelligence Making a Big Difference? featuring a panel, including Bill Koch, CKO at Womble Bond Dickinson
  • Pitch Perfect: Masterful Pitches to Get Buy-in for Your Next Project featuring a panel, including Patrick DiDomenico, CKO at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart
  • Leveraging the Power of the Cloud for Innovation

2:30 – 3:30 PM

The session, Me, Myself, and I: Starting, Sustaining, and Focusing a KM Department of One, targets KMers at small to mid-sized firms, but offers takeaways for a wider audience. This session features Danielle Miller-Olofsson, CKO at BCF LLP, Kathryn McRae, Director of Research and KM Services at Hawkins, Delafield & Wood, and Thao Tran, KM Manager at Fried Frank. Session description:

Knowledge management (KM) is key for any law firm or legal department looking to leverage and organize existing resources to achieve greater things. However, those who are in KM are often frustrated by a lack of resources to achieve what are sometimes rather lofty goals. In this session, we will discuss ways that you can get real results by leverage existing resources, the support of other teams, and little-to-no-cost technologies. And because there’s more than one way to “skin the KM cat”, we will also review strategies from firm-wide initiatives, to practice groups, to client-facing KM. The speakers will discuss positives and negatives to each approach, how to align your KM goals with that of your organization, and how a small KM department can make a big impact.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Closing the Gap Between IT and Attorneys to Solve Client Problems featuring a panel, including Ginevra Saylor, National Director of KM at Dentons
  • How to Start an Innovation Initiative at Your Law Firm (Innovation Series, Part 1/3)
  • Emerging Challenges to Law Firm Dominance: Trends in Legal Service Providers, Competition and Capacity

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Wrap up the first day of the conference with the second collaboration session, Knowledge Managers Collaborate, to work through some of your pain points.

Tuesday, August 21

Start today with Tuesday’s keynote, Crossing Intersections – Dramatic Shifts in Legal Services, a panel discussion featuring Daniel W. Linna Jr., Visiting Professor of Law at Northwestern Law, Affiliated Faculty at Stanford CodeX, John Elbasan, CIO at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, John Fernandez, Global Chief Innovation Officer at Dentons, and Zabrina Jenkins, Managing Director at Starbucks (9:00 – 10:00 A.M.).  Session description:

This keynote panel will represent diverse perspectives, addressing questions related to the continuing evolution of legal services delivery: the dynamic, conflicted, symbiotic ecosystems of law firms and their clients in developing new legal service delivery models; the interplay of skills development and changing job roles; discussions and insights into forces and challenges currently at play or on the horizon. 

11:30 – 12:30 PM

The session, Legal Innovation Case Studies With Real Impact, is the second of three sessions in the Innovation Series.  This session features Mara Nickerson, CKO at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, and Camille Reynolds, Sr. Director of Knowledge & Innovation Delivery at Fenwick & West.  Session description:

With so much buzz around “innovation”, you’ve got to wonder what it really means for you and the future of the legal profession.  Join us to learn by example as experienced innovators share the ups and downs of legal innovation and how they made real impacts in their organizations.  Speakers will discuss client development wins, case outcomes and operational efficiencies, as well as demystify the questions around the tools that really helped them to move the needle (and those that didn’t).

Additional sessions of interest:

  • How to Make a Smart Choice for Law Firm Experience Management
  • Collaboration on Platform Strategies: How They Overlap and How to Use Them Effectively
  • Governing the AI Revolution

1:30 – 2:30 PM

KM collaboration between corporate law departments and law firms has been a hot topic. The session, Legal Operations and Law Firm KM Collaborations, addresses this topic head on and features Vivian Liu-Somers, Director of KM at Liberty Mutual, Holly Hanna, Intranet Manager at Perkins Coie, and Rob MacAdam of HighQ. Session description:

This session will address elements of successful law department and law firm Knowledge Management (KM) collaboration. For effective collaboration, law firms must understand the varying nature of their legal operations colleagues’ technological and business landscape, and how it differs dramatically from a typical law firm.  Come to this session and learn what is valuable for legal operations professionals to know from the law firm KM toolkit, how to reach out and partner with them, and typical areas for successful collaboration.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • DMS Migration: Critical Considerations for the Successful Adoption of a New DMS
  • Marketing Professionals Roundtable
  • Auto-Classification is Real: Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good

3:30 – 5:00 PM

The final KM-focused session of the day, If You Build It, Will They Communicate? Driving Social Collaboration, features Scott Reid, Director of KM and Practice Innovation at Bryan Cave, Jennifer Bel Antaki, L&E Attorney at Cuatrecasas, and Stuart Barr of HighQ. Session description:

Maybe you’ve been to sessions about and seen the social collaboration technology. You’re excited about what the tech can do and maybe you even have a platform in your organization already. But what if – oh no! – few people really use it? This session will cover how to determine if social collaboration is right for your organization, and if it is how to build the business case, design enticing collaboration spaces, and how you can convince people in your organization to move their conversations into a virtual space.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Legal Project Management Workshop
  • Innovative Use of Technology Inside Corporate Legal Departments
  • From the ‘End of Lawyers’ to ‘The Re-Birth of Law’ (Women Who Lead panel)

Wednesday, August 22

The third keynote, Leading Innovation – Stories of Perspective, Persistence and Patience, features a panel, including Scott Rechtschaffen, CKO at Littler Mendelson (9:00 – 10:00 AM). Keynote description:

This keynote session will focus on the behavioral aspects of leading innovation in the legal environment, facilitated by a cross-industry expert in design and innovation. Included are stories of perseverance and the human moments that led to success, even with bumps and challenges along the way. Takeaways will include practical methods for advocating for change projects and first-hand stories of successes in accomplishing innovation in small or large ways.

11:30 – 12:30 PM

The KM-focused session, Successfully Implementing Law Firm Experience Management, features Stacy Pangilinan, Sr. Manager of Knowledge Solutions at DLA Piper, Keith Lipman of Prosperoware, Barry Solomon of Foundation Software Group, Keith Wewe of Content Pilot LLC, and Steve Warmerdam of Intapp. Session description:

This product-agnostic session will address how to create a successful experience database, whether you are preparing to start from scratch, moving to a new platform, or just want to improve the system you currently use. From data cleansing basics to trend analysis, learn how to get value beyond generic pitch responses.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Beyond the Hour: Starting and Supporting a Technology or Alternative Legal Services Side Business featuring a panel, including Jason Dirkx, KM Counsel at Littler Mendelson
  • Wake Up Law Firms: Data Gathering and Sharing by GCs

1:30 – 2:30 PM

This time slot consists of two KM-focused sessions:

Serving Up Tools Clients Really Want, featuring Sukesh Kamra, National Director of KM at Norton Rose Fulbright, Amy Monaghan, Practice Innovations Manager at Perkins Coie, and Jason Jones, Head of Technology Solutions at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Session description:

Firms need to innovate and leverage technology to stay competitive in today’s legal market – there is no doubt about that. Clients often ask for a lot when it comes to technology, and firms will bend over backwards to offer all of the latest and greatest, from extranets and AIs to dashboards and more. But are clients interested in every bit of legal technology available? And will the tools offered really help them? In this session, hear from thought leaders in firm innovation and client service as they discuss what really matters most to clients, how firms and clients can combine forces to identify the best solutions, and what firms need to do to provide consistently excellent service across the board.  You might walk away saying, “I didn’t know clients felt that way!”

A Whirlwind Tour of the Hits and Hyperbole in Legal Research, Workflow, and Other Products, featuring Steven Lastres, Director of KM at Debevoise & Plimpton, and Jean O’Grady, Sr. Director of Research & Knowledge Services at DLA Piper. Session description:

There are a multitude of practice support and collaboration products and apps available with new ones arriving on what can seem like a daily basis. Many of these products tout features and functionality designed to help lawyers and law firm staff work smarter and more efficiently. Filtering out the hype can seem like an insurmountable task. A panel of industry experts will rapid fire through the latest new practice area specific applications. Within two minutes you’ll learn something about one of a minimum of thirty newer and more popular products and leave with data that can be used to help make the decision about which will work for you and, perhaps more importantly, which won’t.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Best Practices for Evaluating and Implementing Legal Technologies featuring a panel, including Jessica Hackett, Director of Online Services – KM at Baker Donelson
  • The Right Tool for the Right Change: Practical Approaches to Change

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

The last KM-focused session of the day, Succeeding With Document Automation, features Silvia Leblanc, Director of KM at Morgan Lewis, Mickey Lloyd, Sr. Software Analyst at DLA Piper, Angela Banegas, Practice Automation Specialist at Cooley, and Barron Henley of Affinity Consulting Group. Session description:

Hear from organizations that have successfully implemented and sustained document automation projects. Learn best practices for structuring the project to ensure success and manage growth, how to maintain ongoing engagement and adoption by attorneys, and how document automation can be integrated with other systems, processes and workflows for even greater utility.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Emerging Roles in Legal Technology featuring a panel, including Philip Bryce, Global Director of KM at Mayer Brown
  • How Chatbots are Changing the Way We Work

Thursday, August 22

9:00 – 10:00 AM

Start off the final day of the conference with the KM-focused session, How Knowledge Management is Achieving its Goals in a Security-Centric World, featuring Gwyn McAlpine, Director of KM Services at Perkins Coie, Jessica Marlette, Sr. Content Governance Lawyer at White & Case, and Ian Raine of iManage. Session description:

Facing pressures to increase data security, more firms are considering the move to a “pessimistic” document management system. How can knowledge management (KM) achieve its collaboration and information-sharing goals when access to client/matter documents is restricted? Learn how firms are rethinking their document-based KM strategy, finding alternatives to the traditional model of sourcing precedents, and trying to strike a balance between security and access to information.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • Expectations of Outside Counsel: A General Counsel Perspective

11:15 – 12:15 PM

The final session recommended for KMers is Leveraging Technology to Harness Data and Drive Efficiency in Your Firm, featuring Meredith L. Williams-Range, Chief Knowledge & Client Value Officer at Sherman & Sterling, Glenn LaForce of Aderant, and Joe Breda of Bloomberg Law. Session description:

How are you enabling efficient access to research data and other relevant information within your firm to stay competitive and drive business? Firms focusing on improving access are seeing significant costs savings in addition to productivity gains.  During this session, learn how the paradigm is shifting to a model where firms are creating an agnostic legal research platform that surfaces commingled results from all providers to create a more efficient and effective lawyer.  Hear how legal research can be automatically pushed to the user based upon matter type and queried through enterprise search.

Additional sessions of interest:

  • “It’s the People, Stupid!” Low Cost Innovation Without a Tech-Centric Focus
  • Voice and Legal Practice: Current and Future State

2:00 – 3:00 PM

There are no KM-focused sessions during this time slot.  Sessions that may be of interest to KMers include:

  • Artificial Intelligence Beyond the Hype
  • Advanced Data Analytics in Legal – Tales from Teams Tackling Big Ideas in Analytics (Data Analytics Series Part 4/4)
  • Conflicts and Matter Intake Best Practices: Accelerating the Process and Reducing Risks

3:30 – 5:00 PM

Conclude your ILTACON 2018 experience by attending the final collaboration session, Knowledge Management Share ILTACON Takeaways, to reflect on the takeaways from the week and discuss gaps.

Note to First-Timers

Are you a first-time attendee? Be sure to review the following resources to ensure that you have a successful conference experience:

Tips for First-Timers

First Timers Tips for a Rewarding Conference Experience (webinar featuring David Hobbie, Director of KM at Goodwin)

We look forward to meeting you at the conference!

The Future of Legal Knowledge Management

16 Aug

future bohrBy Patrick DiDomenico, Chief Knowledge Officer, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

While no one can really predict the future, I can tell you that I’m scheduled to talk about the future of legal knowledge management (KM) in the near future. Barring any unforeseen, intervening circumstances, that will happen on Monday, August 29, 2016, at 1:00 pm at ILTACON in a session aptly called “The Future of Legal KM.” I’ll be joined on the panel by Rob Saccone and Sam Nickless. Steve Lastres will moderate.

In addition to talking about it in the future and blogging about it presently, I’ve also written about the future of legal KM in the past. Wait, that’s confusing. What I mean is I’ve written about this topic (the future of legal KM) before. It’s the topic of the final chapter of my book, Knowledge Management for Lawyers, which I wrote (and you may have read) in the past. Or perhaps you will read it in the future (or never).

I mention the book not as a shameless plug, but because some of what follows is reproduced from the book and the publisher (American Bar Association) made me tell you that. I do, in fact, feel great shame about the plug.

Anyway, back to the future…

At the aforementioned future ILTACON session, my co-panelists and I will discuss the future of legal KM in four main sections:

  1. the current state of KM,
  2. what drives change in KM,
  3. the role of KM professionals, and
  4. the role of technology in KM.

We also hope that the audience will have questions, and perhaps, some answers. The official session description reads:

“Knowledge management (KM) in law firms has been a key component to the successful delivery of client services. Thanks to recent advances in better analytics, less expensive start-up costs and a focus on empowering the next generation of workforce, KM of the future is shining bright. As law firms move quickly to address new client-first imperatives, they are leveraging knowledge management to support smarter answers, improved decisions and better outcomes. What does the future hold for legal KM? Come find out what’s next!”

I’m not sure the exclamation point is warranted, but we will do our best to live up to the hype.

I’m reluctant to make any predictions about the future of KM because in the worst case scenario, I’ll be completely wrong. In the best, we’ll all shrug and say, “Well, that was obvious.”

KM’s changing roles

One topic related to the future of KM that came up in our presentation preparation, and in my personal experience, is the changing role of KM professionals. But it’s not just the changing roles; it’s the ability and willingness to change. I believe that one reason for the longevity and resiliency of KM over the years – and the promise of the future – is the nature of the people who are drawn to the field. KM professionals are an innovative and entrepreneurial bunch. They seek out new and better ways to do things. They are not satisfied with the status quo. They seek constant improvement. As entrepreneurs, they search for change, respond to it, and exploit it as an opportunity. This is a fundamental reason that the future of KM is so bright.

Just one example of many that we will discuss in the ILTACON panel is the changing role of law firm librarians. Now, I know that this can be a touchy topic, especially among librarians, so, please understand that this is just my personal perspective. That said, when I talk to KM leaders at other law firms, I’m starting to see a trend. The trend is not to eliminate librarians or to minimize their value. To the contrary, the trend is to refine their roles to maximize the value that they bring.

In my 10+ years in legal KM (at three different law firms), librarians have always been an important part of the KM department. It’s a natural fit. But it was not until a relatively recent deep-dive analysis of librarians’ actual activities that I realized how much of a fit it is.

For example, take reference librarians, who primarily (though not exclusively) conduct legal research. One of their main activities, helping attorneys find information using third party resources, is really the “flip side of the coin” of what many professional support lawyers do – helping attorneys find information using firm-facing, internal resources. For my firm, it made sense to consolidate the reference librarians with the professional support lawyers under one manager. We similarly consolidated the library technical services staff with the KM firm solutions staff under a different manager. As this new consolidated structure matures (we’re only about eight months in), we are finding great benefits. The tighter bond between the previously-separated groups is creating more efficient workflows and increased collaboration. Lines of communication have opened, and our customers (the firm’s attorneys) are better served. I expect additional benefits in the months and years to come.

Clients’ role in driving change

There are many more areas of change ahead in the future of legal KM. The most significant driver of that change is client demand. It’s probably safe to assume that the legal industry will survive (and thrive) for quite some time in ways that are at least vaguely similar to its current form. That does not mean, however, that there will not be changes in what clients expect from their lawyers. We don’t need a crystal ball to know that clients will likely continue to demand more for less when it comes to legal services. For years, lawyers have heard the cries from clients demanding greater value for their legal spend. These cries are not likely to stop and will probably grow more intense.

Clients also continue to demand pricing options, such as fixed or guaranteed pricing. If a matter is based on a fixed price, the only way for a lawyer to make a profit is to spend less money executing the work than the lawyer received to complete it. KM’s role in ensuring that matters are handled efficiently can help ensure profitability on those matters. In fact, no greater direct relationship between increased efficiency and increased profits exists than when a matter is guaranteed to be completed at a fixed cost. If KM efforts can help a lawyer complete a matter in 10 hours that would otherwise have taken 20, then the profit margin more than doubles (assuming a profit margin was built into the 20-hour budget). Each minute saved as a result of the efficiencies gained from KM is pure profit.

KM’s bright future

This is another key reason that the future of KM is bright. The primary purpose of KM is to improve the efficiency with which lawyers do their work and deliver legal services to their clients while maintaining or increasing quality. Greater efficiency means more for less, and this means happier clients. But some might say that efficiency has its limits; you can only squeeze so much waste out of a process or activity before it reaches peak efficiency. That’s true, and that’s when the shift in focus must go from efficiency (doing things right) to effectiveness (doing the right things). As Peter Drucker noted, “There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all.”

So, in some ways, the future is not as much about finding a better solution to a problem as it is about eliminating the need to solve the problem in the first place. However, with new ways of doing things comes the opportunity to make the new ways we do them more efficient. There is always room for improvement, and KM can help.

I hope to see many of you at ILTACON. Please consider attending “The Future of Legal KM” panel. And as a thank you for reading this far, if you would like a PDF copy of “The Future of Knowledge Management in the Legal Profession,” which is Chapter 11 of my book, Knowledge Management for Lawyers, send me an email with “future of KM” in the subject line. Free, of course. No strings, no spam.

ILTACON 2016 For KMers

4 Aug

ILTACON 2016 LogoBy David Hobbie, 2016 Team Coordinator, Information Management Track, ILTACON 2016, and Senior Manager, Knowledge Management (Litigation), Goodwin.

The ILTACON 2016 conference promises to be a great learning opportunity for KMers and people interested in how to use technology to improve the practice of law. I’ve recently written about the great slate of educational sessions that are potentially of interest to legal knowledge management practitioners, and I encourage to take a look at that post and also download the Conference App (you’ll also need to have registered for conference and to have received an email with your password).

The legal knowledge management community is small but collegial. In addition to the educational sessions, ILTACON 2016 will have two in-person social gatherings for KMers and friends of KMers.

The first is the Knowledge Management Community of Interest meetup, Sunday August 28, 2016, from 4:00 PM until 5:30 PM in National Harbor 3, sponsored by iManage. This is your first chance to see peers you know, meet those you don’t, and have some beverages and light snacks.  We might have a brief conversation about what’s hot and what’s not among KM practitioners, and also hear some viola music.

The second is the annual KM reception, Tuesday August 30 starting at 4:30 PM (immediately following the last educational session of the day), in the beautiful Cherry Blossom Foyer. Sponsorship by Closing Folders is greatly appreciated. While I can’t promise you that I will sing this time, I can promise you another great opportunity to see your peers, have some beverages, and enjoy each others’ company.

Hope to see you there!

Listen Up: ILTA’s New Podcast Will Get You Moving

15 May

mobileBy Ginevra Saylor, National Director of Knowledge Management, Dentons Canada LLP

Do you think you know everything you need to know about mobility and the practice of law? If not, you will want to take a few minutes to sit back and listen to the new ILTA podcast, “Going Mobile – Getting Your Practice on the Road.” I had the pleasure of moderating this engaging and highly informative discussion that features three excellent panellists:

  • Dan Hauck is CEO of ThreadKM, a knowledge management platform that helps legal teams work together through integrated chat and file and project management. Before entering the world of technology, Dan practiced law at Bryan Cave LLP, where he focused on complex commercial and antitrust litigation.
  • Fiona Stone is a Systems Analyst at Perkins Coie LLP, where she administers systems and applications for the litigation, e-discovery, and personal planning groups and manages major cloud-based systems that her firm uses. Fiona holds several technical certifications, including Project Management Professional, and is a trained Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean expert.
  • Mark Thorogood is the Director of Application Services at Perkins Coie LLP. He holds several technical certifications, including Project Management Professional and Android Developer. During his tenure in the US Army, Mark earned the Distinguished Leadership Award and US Army Instructor of the Year. An invited member of the International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines, his passion is enabling others to maximize the value of technology.

Starting with a quick glimpse at the evolution of mobility in the legal industry, the speakers bring their own extensive and diverse experience to bear on a range of topics, including what every lawyer needs today to stay in the game and what additional tricks and tools can give them a real edge on the competition; what IT departments need to consider when developing a mobility strategy for their firm and pushing applications out to lawyers; and where the profession is likely headed with mobility in the next five to ten years. With a mix of practical advice, best practices, lesson learned, speculation, and humour, the three speakers candidly share a wealth of information listeners are bound to find useful and thought provoking.

And, while you are at it, you might want to also listen to “Improving Attorney productivity Through Third Party Applications” if you have not heard it yet.

ILTA Webinar On Enterprise Search For Smaller Firms

20 Mar

Post by ILTA KM Blogmaster David Hobbie

A webinar in one week will address a cheap and effective approach to enterprise search, the “killer app” of legal knowledge management. ILTA KM surveys and my own experience confirms that this remarkable tool is moving “down-market,” i.e., to smaller firms.

Title:  Kick-Starting KM with Quick-Start Search

Date & Time:  Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at  7:00 p.m. GMT / 2:00 p.m. EDT / 1:00 p.m. CDT/
12:00 p.m. MDT / 11:00 a.m. PDT.

REGISTER online here; no cost for ILTA members

Formal Description:
“KM is no longer the purview of large firms. KM can be a competitive tool, and smaller firms want in! But how can a smaller firm, without significant KM resources, kick-start a KM program and score a major win with the firm’s attorneys?

Smaller firms looking to take advantage of the benefits of KM can use enterprise search as the centerpiece of their KM strategy. You could be up and running fairly quickly, and see a high return on your investment. Your attorneys will love it, and you’ll establish enough “credit” to push for other KM initiatives.

Advancements in KM technology point to closer collaboration between CIOs and KM professionals. Come hear Lowenstein’s CIO, Christopher Zegers, and KM Director, Kitty Schweyer, discuss their unique approach to KM in a smaller firm and how they kick-started their KM program with the implementation of a popular enterprise search solution.”

Speakers:

Shy Alter is the founder of ii3, where he provides vision and direction to both ii3 and ii3’s clients. Shy also regularly works with ii3’s teams to develop practical solutions to complex knowledge and information management challenges. He helps his clients address their highly competitive and continually changing business environment. Shy is a KM pioneer who speaks regularly on the strategic impact of knowledge management and is recognized as a thought leader in this area. Contact him at salter@ii3.com.

Kathlyn Schweyer has 17 years of experience in the information and knowledge management field. Kitty is currently the Director of Knowledge and Research Services at Lowenstein Sandler and is in charge of the firm’s knowledge activities. Previously, she served as the manager of competitive intelligence at White & Case in New York and as the library manager at Goodwin Procter in Boston, where she was heavily involved in their knowledge management initiatives. Contact her at kschweyer@lowenstein.com.

Christopher Zegers has been solving problems for law firms since 1997. From bringing the Internet to desktops and bringing desktops to iPads, he has guided attorneys through the endless technical changes required to keep firms competitive. Chris has built out new offices and data centers, and has introduced knowledge management and practice support departments to law firms that traditionally grouped these services with IT. He is currently the Chief Information Officer for Lowenstein Sandler. Contact him at czegers@lowenstein.com.

Questions?  Contact Kristy Costello at kristina@iltanet.org or (512) 795-4674

Ark Conference Pass Winner

5 Oct

Post By David Hobbie, ILTA KM Blogmaster

The ILTA KM Steering Committee and the Ark Conference are pleased to announce that the raffle for a free pass to the October 2012 Ark Knowledge Management In the Legal Profession Conference has been won by Lori D. Martin, Director of Library and Research Services at Bradley Arant Boult and Cummings LLP in their Birmingham, Alabama office.

Congratulations Lori!

Recap; ILTA Conference KM Sessions and Session Resources

4 Oct

Post by Chris Boyd, KM Steering Committee VP

I hope many of you made it to the ILTA’s recent “AC2DC” conference in Washington, D.C. and were able to attend some of the KM track sessions.  For anyone who wasn’t able to make it, or who was there and wants to revisit some of the sessions, ILTA has posted audio recordings from the sessions along with downloadable presentations and handouts.  The KM recordings and materials are listed below (unfortunately we cannot provide direct links); please note that they are for ILTA members and that you’ll need to log into ILTA’s website to access them.  Special thanks to Patrick DiDomenico, the conference liaison on the ILTA KM peer group steering committee, who was a key player in making these sessions happen.

  1. Beyond Extranets! What Clients Really Want.  Meredith Williams of Baker Donelson and Scott Rechtschaffen of Littler Mendelson presented their innovative client-facing KM resources, and Lynn Simpson of DuPont discussed what her company’s legal department would like to see in law firm KM.  The panel also provided a handout titled “Some Ideas On What Clients Want From KM At Law Firms”.
  2. Social Networking in the Enterprise.  David Hobbie of Goodwin Procter explained how to prepare a business case for social networking in the enterprise.  Ann Hemming of Thomas Eggar described her firm’s use of Yammer, and Scott Reid of the U.S. Judge Advocate General’s Corps presented the MilBook and JagConnect resources.  The JAG Corps later won ILTA’s Law Department of the Year award in part based on Col. Reid’s work in this area.  David also posted his slides on “Building a Business Case for Enterprise Social Networks”.
  3. Using Your DMS for Knowledge Management.  April Brousseau of Stikeman Elliott, consultant Rick Krzyminski, Chris Boyd of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, and Eric Hunter of Bradford & Barthel explained how their firms used document management systems to support KM resources. The panel also provided a handout with a matrix on ways to use a DMS for KM.
  4. New Benefits and Unexpected Pitfalls of Enterprise Search.  Phil Bryce of White & Case, John Gillies of Cassels Brock, and Sarah Stephens of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan presented their firms’ enterprise search implementations, along with lessons learned and next steps.  The slides from White & Case, Cassells Brock, and Sutherland Asbill & Brennan provide good visuals to accompany the recording.
  5. Data Warehouses, Dashboards and Data Integration: Delivering Actionable Business Intelligence.  Gina Lynch and Tracy Elmblad of Bingham McCutchen and Steve Lewis of Fried Frank demonstrated their firm’s intranets, focusing particularly on the dashboard-like features in them.  Gina, Tracy and Steve also described the design and rollout processes they used to revamp their intranets.
  6. AFAs + LPM + BPI = Opportunities for KM.  Michael Williams of eSentio, Rob Lipstein of Crowell & Moring, and Andrew Baker of Seyfarth Shaw discussed clients’ increasing interest in alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) and how firms are using KM to support legal project management (LPM) and business process improvement (BPI) to deliver effectively and efficiently on AFA matters.

Many other sessions, of course, addressed enterprise search, social networking, and other KM topics; the well-received sessions listed here were those organized by the KM peer group.

We’ve already started to plan for next year’s conference, so if there are specific KM topics you’d like to see addressed, please contact me or one of the other members of the KM peer group steering committee.  We’d love to hear from you!

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