A perspective on introducing Knowledge Management into law departments and practices.

1. Knowledge Management In
Law Practices
Exploring Value in Information
Part 1 in a Series on Information Management
© 2014 RMG Consulting All rights reserved. 18/03/20141

2. Knowledge management, as a core component of business
management seeks to leverage the existing and developed
awareness and intellectual capital across an organization.
Whether performed in a deliberate or ad-hoc fashion,
organizations that strive to adopt knowledge management will
benefit from enhanced collaboration, faster learning curves and
greater organizational flexibility without having to continually
reinvent the proverbial wheel.
Background
© 2014 RMG Consulting All rights reserved. 18/03/20142

3. APM Body of Knowledge – 6th ed
• Information management is the collection, storage,
dissemination, archiving and destruction of information.
It enables teams and stakeholders to use their time,
resource and expertise effectively to make decisions
and to fulfill their roles.
• Knowledge management is the systematic management
of information and learning. It turns personal
information and experience into collective knowledge
that can be widely shared throughout an organization
and a profession.
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A Definition

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Within a Law Practice, six key
areas exist where Knowledge
Management provides
opportunities for increased
collaboration, greater practice
consistency and reduced need
for reinvention. The six areas
will be described on the
following slides.

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Law practices have, by tradition,
effective Document and Records
Management practices
especially when it comes to
physical documents. In today’s
highly electronic environment,
greater challenges exist with
shared drives, local storage and email
being used as a repository. By
increasing the discipline around the
lifecycle of documents and records,
Law practices can begin to identify
information of value and also support
organizational risk management.
Some quick and easy efforts include:
 Developing Taxonomies
 Establishing Naming Conventions
 Promoting Disposition
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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The conduct and management
of legal research – from
precedent development to the
delivery of content to the end-
users is a critical aspect for
knowledge management and a
key opportunity for law
departments and practices.
The development and management of
effective collaboration tools for
internal and external information
sharing can be a significant
differentiator for law departments
and practices. By introducing a
deliberate solution that allows for the
ease of sharing and access to
information in a structured manner,
executives are able to increase the
value of information, reduce
redundancy and accelerate decision
making.
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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In today’s high technology and
high speed environment,
deliberate training and
development tends to take a
back seat. By adopting
Knowledge Management within
the law department or practice
organizations are able to centralize
access to and the content of training.
This can be particularly important for
CLE management. An effective
approach can provide users with clear
understanding of upcoming training
while concurrently providing them
with the ability to complete training
activities online. This access to
professional and personal
development programs can provide
significant value that in itself can
justify investments.
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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Litigation support and the
growing eDiscovery demands
can be made more efficient
through the introduction of
knowledge management. This
can be represented through the
management of precedents,
or the establishment of common
information sources (systems and
associated content and contact lists,
standardized notification templates,
etc) that can be used to introduce
consistency and repeatability in the
conduct of litigation support and
eDiscovery. The result of this can be
significant enough to support the
mitigation of legal risk.
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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From billing codes to document
templates and standardized
processes, knowledge
management can increase the
effectiveness and bottom line of
practice management. In
addition to these, the
development of communication
portals, collaboration sites (deal
rooms, closing book rooms, director
information sites) and common
tracking of budgets, status and
progress will all assist in shaping the
best practices and encourage all team
members to drive for consistency and
transparency.
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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Legal Project Management
(LPM) has grown in use and
maturity over the past decade. It
is, in fact, the natural
intersection point for
Knowledge Management within
law practices. The disciplines of
LPM provide an opportunity within
practices to institutionalize
knowledge management, to develop
new competencies, to respond to
complex demands such as eDiscovery
and to integrate readily into the other
corporate functions where project
management is a common approach.
Document &
Records
Management
Training &
Development
Practice
Management
Legal
Research
Legal Project
Management
Litigation
Support

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A deliberate approach and strategy for Knowledge Management will provide a
law department or practice with a defined roadmap and measureable KPIs. The
key is to realize that there is no single solution or approach that fits every
situation and that each organization must first consider the cultural and
operational dimensions before deciding on the outcome.
Culture
Governance
Information
Technology
Outcomes and
decision
support
Value driven
operating model
Behavioral
change and
performance
Knowledge Management

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“If only HP knew what HP knows, we would
be three times more productive”
Lew Platt
former CEO of Hewlett-Packard

13. Contact Us
Rob.gerbrandt@rmgim.ca
705-229-6710
www.rmgim.ca
© 2014 RMG Consulting All rights reserved. 18/03/201413