David Hobbie is the Litigation Knowledge Manager at
Goodwin Proctoer LLP. David connects lawyers to work
product through search and to each other through
collaborative technology. His mission is to enhance
litigator effectiveness and efficiency through improved
search, knowledge-sharing and collaboration. David has a
strong understanding of knowledge management theory
and social collaborative technology, as well as years of experience as a practicing
litigator. Contact him at dhobbie@goodwinprocter.com.
Large law firms and legal organizations are relying
increasingly on legal professionals, rather than on
practicing lawyers also acting as professional managers,
to meet their organizations' managerial business needs.
Such organizations are under increased pressure to ensure
maximum efficiency, strategic effectiveness, sound pricing
and staff engagement.
Four legal professional careers have developed to address these needs (at least in my
firm, Goodwin Procter LLP) with former practicing lawyers at the helm. Each role can
be described as a cross between a lawyer and another business professional. With the
increased professionalization of legal organization management have come increased
opportunities in these, and still-to-be-developed areas, for former practicing lawyers and
others with the right legal skills.
THE LEGAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGER
(Lawyer + Librarian)
Legal knowledge managers focus on improving the effectiveness
and efficiency of their firms' or law departments' attorneys through
the comprehensive use of the organization's collective wisdom.
They care how information flows support the knowledge work of
attorneys. They work with technologies and resources such as:
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Collaborative technology, such as wikis or blogs
Document management and document assembly systems
Enterprise or work product search
Matter management systems
Portals (e.g., law firm intranets)
Work product databases
Peer to Peer
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