Knowledge management plays an important role in helping law firms as knowledge organizations create, share and apply knowledge to the needs of law firm clients. This book covers important topics such as characteristics of knowledge, knowledge management systems, objectives and strategies, knowledge processes, change analysis, and change strategy framework.
Knowledge has always been at the heart of the legal profession. This is because an essential component of practising law involves applying knowledge and expertise to solve clients' legal problems. In the rapidly changing contemporary legal world, where cases, transactions and legal issues become increasingly more complex and globalised, managing the firm's knowledge and expertise becomes crucial for finding innovative solutions to legal problems, serving clients effectively, reducing risks and delivering profitability to the firm.In this timely book produced in association with the International Bar Association, more than a dozen renowned knowledge management professionals provide their expert insights on all aspects of managing knowledge in a law firm. Topics covered include: building the business case for a knowledge management plan; implementing an agreed strategy; organising the knowledge management function; implementing enterprise search technology; and fostering the contribution of lawyers to their clients' perspective on learning and quality.The wide range of topics covered, coupled with the depth of the authors' experience in real-life legal knowledge management, make this book an invaluable reference work for law firms looking to shape their knowledge management function, both in smaller firms where know-how sharing is a limiting factor for expansion and in larger firms interested in developing their knowledge management function further. For that reason, the book should be of interest to anyone looking for an insight into legal knowledge management, including law firm partners, knowledge management professionals and consultants, professional support lawyers and fee earners.
This book is about knowledge management (KM) in law firms. Knowledge has gained increased recognition in management literature as well as in management practice over the last decade as an important strategic resource and differentiating factor. The focus of the book is on the academic and practical efforts directed at identifying essential KM issues such as the form of knowledge and cultural values in law firms, as well as mechanisms that, for example, support sharing and developing knowledge in law firms.
Strategies for gathering and harnessing knowledge have existed in law firms for decades. However, knowledge management suddenly found itself in the spotlight as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enforced remote working reduced opportunities for knowledge sharing between colleagues and this gap was filled with knowledge databases and experienced knowledge lawyers. Now that hybrid and virtual workforces are here to stay, these new working practices have combined with technological developments, enhanced demand, and the transformation of how to access knowledge to drive the advancement of knowledge management into a new era. Knowledge Management in Law Firms: Challenges and Opportunities Post-Pandemic is the essential guide to the evolution of law firm knowledge management. It covers how to revisit your strategy in light of recent and future changes, the expansion of knowledge management to encompass legal tech and innovation, the rise of the importance of data, strategies for overcoming the challenges hybrid and virtual working pose to knowledge management, managing knowledge teams, and much more. Chapters are written by an international group of KM experts from a range of organisations and leading law firms, including DLA Piper, Linklaters, and Dentons. Pandemic experiences and lessons learnt are shared as well as ways to approach the future. Knowledge is at the heart of the legal profession, and this book provides guidance on how to prepare for and thrive in the knowledge management practices of the future, overcoming the obstacles and embracing the opportunities that have arisen from or been accelerated by the pandemic. Through demonstrating how effective knowledge management can help firms exceed client expectations, differentiate themselves in the competitive market, and, ultimately, improve their bottom line, this title will be of interest to knowledge management professionals including professional support lawyers, law firm leaders, partners and fee earners, and, outside of law firms, in-house lawyers and consultants.
While there is significant interest in knowledge management as it applies to legal environments, there are very few books specifically focused on this topic. In Effective Knowledge Management For Law Firms, Matthew Parsons expertly fills this gap by drawing on his work with a leading commercial law firm, Mallesons Stephen Jaques. He examines how law firms can implement a knowledge strategy to support their business strategy, rather than getting beguiled by fads and technology. Parsons first outlines the terrain, including what knowledge management means, the business and economics of law firms, and how lawyers work as knowledge workers. He then introduces a methodology for creating and implementing law firm knowledge strategy, which combines for the first time the interrelated aspects of recruiting, training, research, document production, information management, and digital knowledge strategy. Parsons goes beyond theories to provide detailed, practical help for the analysis, implementation, and measurement of performance-increasing initiatives. This book will be an invaluable resource for all those involved with the management and leadership of law firms and knowledge management initiatives.
This book helps professionals implement better knowledge management strategies in their firms, introduces them to the fundamentals, and provides them with practical strategies and tools.
Despite clear evidence of a serious decline in morale, the major competitors in the law firm management marketplace have virtually ignored the motivational facet of current managerial theory and practice. As evidenced by a review of the literature dealing with law firm management, including major books, handbooks, and professional seminar outlines, there has existed until now no treatment of current management theory and practice as it pertains to law firms. In addressing human resources topics as they apply to the modern law firm, this book fills a genuine void in an area which is of major importance to law firms challenged to remain profitable in an increasingly hostile environment. Managing People in Today's Law Firm: The Human Resources Approach to Surviving Change provides a comprehensive treatment of critical aspects of modern management: motivation, communication, organizational culture, structure and strategy, power and politics, recruitment and training, the reward-performance-retention dynamic, performance appraisal, and planned change. Grounded in managerial theory and research, based on extensive practice, and exemplified by anecdotal war stories, this book makes valuable reading for partners, associates, managers, and future members of law firms—and offers important ideas for motivating members of all professional service firms. Intended for law firms and lawyers within them, solo practitioners who contemplate joining with others in a firm partnership, law school libraries, and general and professional association libraries including bar associations on the state and local levels.
This ground-breaking guide introduces lawyers and other professionals to a powerful class of software that supports core aspects of legal work. The author discusses how technologies like practice systems, work product retrieval, document assembly, and interactive checklists help people work smarter. If you are looking to work more effectively, this book provides a clear roadmap, with many concrete examples and thought-provoking ideas.
With wit, wisdom and a knack for cutting through the nonsense, Ed Wesemann's latest book, Looking Tall by Standing Next to Short People again addresses the most perplexing issues facing law firms today. Hoping that you "disagree with large portions" of his take on the minefield of legal management, Ed's purpose in offering his extensive insights is to ignite the exchange of ideas, creative dialogue, enthusiasm and - most importantly - action. Ed tackles legal management's hot button issues by delving into six general topics: The role of partners Massive non-equity partnership ranks results in a large group of lawyers who don't meet any "full partner" criteria but are too senior to be associates. What happens when there are no "up or out" reviews in place to prevent partners from sapping up the work that should be going to associates? The operation of partnerships We used to talk about managing law firms - now we govern them. Mergers It's been a sleepy couple of years where merger activity has largely been less than expected. But the natural maturation of the legal industry won't let the lull last for long. Business development Business development is the same as it has been since the founders of our most venerable law firms hung out their shingles. Everything else is details. Strategy Figuring out what has to be done to be more profitable is easy. The issue is what to do to make those things actually occur - that's strategy.
