Keeping pace with KM

It is without a shadow of doubt that researching and launching KM Legal magazine represents the most challenging period of my career as a journalist, so far.

In my editor’s letter for the launch issue, I highlighted the difficulties we faced simply picking an appropriate title for the publication. While some law-firm representatives thought that the term ‘know-how’ was more a reflection of the cultural, rather than technological, element of KM, others were of the view that the term bought forth images of outdated documents, rather than a people-centric approach.

The very different stages that law firms are at with their knowledge-management (KM) strategies was, overwhelmingly, the most popular theme of much of the feedback that has flooded my inbox since the first issue hit desks. Once again, while KM is second nature to some of the larger, global firms, who have the budget to match grand aspirations in KM incentives and measurement, there are others to which the discipline is a fairly new concept. Indeed, Risa Schwartz of US firm Wilson Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati charts the shift of KM from a sidelined activity to an integral part of centralised workflow management in this month’s cover story.

For that reason, I decided to go back to basics with this issue, which includes case studies of three very different approaches to KM strategy, change management and technology implementations.

Of course, in keeping the magazine as up-to-date as possible, I’ve been assisted by an invaluable editorial board. So, it is with great pleasure that I introduce two new members to the KM Legal team – Matthew Parsons, chief knowledge officer at Linklaters, and Bird & Bird’s head of knowledge management, Catherine Flutsch. You can find out more about them on page 17.

I hope that you enjoy this issue, and do please keep sending through your feedback and suggestions for topics that you would like to see covered within these pages. Similarly, if you would like to write an article yourself, or provide comment, do get in touch. As always, I can be contacted at kclifton@ark-group.com.

Kate Clifton
Editor

Features

Cover feature: Knowledge central Free
When law-firm knowledge management (KM) was a nascent initiative, firms adopted the name ‘KM’ for the groups charged with implementing these initiatives, albeit sometimes reluctantly. KM was disparaged as the catchphrase of the day, but there just wasn’t another label that people would recognise as readily. Problem was, even after adopting the name KM, most lawyers still didn’t know what it meant; they only knew it was a new administrative group on the periphery of the law practice, which functioned outside the scope of an lawyer’s typical workflow and well below his or her radar.

Masterclass: KM integration Free
Few leaders of large North American law firms, apart from a few true believers, are very enthusiastic about large-scale knowledge management (KM) programmes. One common source of such lukewarm feeling can be the perception that KM is overly disconnected from both direct client service and from other staff functions that help sell and deliver business.

Case study: A&L Goodbody Free
With the firm performing so well in a diverse range of business sectors, the partners might be forgiven for letting things such as the knowledge function take a back seat. This, however, has not been the case with A&L Goodbody, in fact quite the reverse. Over the past two years especially, there has been increased partner focus on knowledge development.

Case study: Morgan Cole Free
Unless you have stumbled across this article by some cruel twist of fate, chances are you have already heard of knowledge management (KM) and its many promises and temptations. However, hacking your way through the dense jungle of KM is no easy feat and, admittedly, most of our lawyers don’t have the faintest idea what it actually is.

Case study: Davies Arnold Cooper Free
Davies Arnold Cooper is an international law firm known for its dispute-resolution and real-estate expertise. The firm specialises in some niche markets, particularly commercial and residential property development, construction and insurance. It has 30 equity partners and more than 150 lawyers.
When I joined the firm as knowledge management (KM) partner in January 2006, I found little coordinated KM activity. It was difficult to tell whether there was a greenfield site or if someone had been building up their knowledge secretly?

Opinion: Are you ready for a CICO? Free
Law firms continuously attempt to ‘become more like the corporate world’. That is dangerous. My colleagues and I came to call it the trap of innovating the firm into history. Law firms have a record of adopting practices and ideas from corporate role models, which the latter are abandoning.

Regulars

The last word Free
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP recently merged with Washington DC-based firm Collier Shannon Scott, PLLC, giving Kelley Drye a considerable presence in DC, through Collier Shannon’s existing deep roots and relationships in that market. Likewise, the merger has enhanced Kelley Drye’s capabilities in several key areas, including international trade and customs, advertising, government relations, environmental and anti-trust. For Collier Shannon, the merger bolstered its litigation, intellectual property and corporate-law resources.

Thought leader Free
Until relatively recently knowledge strategies tended to be focused primarily at achieving a set of knowledge tasks. More often than not, these tasks have been aimed at bringing fee earners and clients up to speed with new developments and ensuring that supporting know-how documents are in place.