Peer to Peer Magazine

52 Decision. In the Decision stage, attorneys actively evaluate the technolo and decide whether to adopt or reject it. Leverage demonstrations, focus groups, and free trials to help rove out the product's utility. Implementation. During the implementation stage, attorneys begin using the technolo under real world conditions in their day-to-day work. Even if the firm has previously made the decision to adopt the technolo, there continues to be a risk of rejection if it does not truly solve the identified problem or proves too difficult to use. Confirmation. Especially in a population accustomed to relying on precedent, expect your attorneys to look for external cues that the technolo is generally accepted by courts, clients, and peers. Stay engaged with your attorneys, your service providers, and your peers and be prepared to provide additional support and information. Set and track metrics. As you roll out a new technolo, consider how the firm will define success and set and track metrics around those objectives. Change efforts that are not tied to specific and measurable goals risk mismatched expectations and spending. Ask questions like: • Who is the target population? Is it all attorneys firmwide? Or all associates? Maybe all litigators? • What behavior do we want them to engage in? Do we need all attorneys firmwide to use the new document management system daily? Or, is it more important that a large percentage of the firm's documents are saved in it daily? 3 4 5 • What percentage of our target population do we want to engage in the desired behavior? Establishing clear metrics sets expectations for technolo and attorney groups and allows leadership to effectively track return on investment. Finally, when thinking about adoption, draw upon widely established standards for success. Within the social sciences, studies consistently confirm that adoption efforts can reach a critical mass or "tipping point" at which adoption becomes self-sustaining and leads to future growth. Research varies based on the population studied, but consensus locates the "tipping point" somewhere between 25% and 35%. Reach these levels of engagement, and you can usually expect widespread adoption to follow. As you map out your new strate, consider whether your junior partner / senior associate population could represent critical mass for your firm. Couple this group with a highly motivated junior associate population, and you have a clear path towards success. Conclusion The influence of the firm's senior partners will always be a vital element in any change strate, and no firm could operate successfully without a highly motivated associate population. But, it is at the cross- section of influence and motivation where the most successful change occurs. As firms look to extract maximum value from innovation and technolo investments, a strate which engages deeply with mid- level attorneys will deliver the most reliable path to realization. ILTA Cheryl Wilson Griffin Trial technology expert Cheryl Wilson Griffin has over 15 years of experience leading legal technology and litigation support operations for AmLaw 100 law firms including King & Spalding, Mayer Brown, and Kirkland Ellis. In her current role at King & Spalding, Wilson Griffin leads a team focused on delivering innovative solutions for the Firm's attorneys. At Mayer Brown, Wilson Griffin oversaw the successful deployment of the firm's trial offices and legal technology. At Kirkland & Ellis, she developed visual strategies for use in litigation and onsite trial technology support and "hot seat" trial presentation services.Cheryl Wilson Griffin earned an M.B.A. in Management Information Systems at Purdue University, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Change efforts that are not tied to specific and measurable goals risk mismatched expectations and spending.

• Cover