The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/271291
PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGA ZINE OF ILTA 48 WHAT ARE BEST PRACTICES FOR ENGAGING AND EDUCATING LAWYERS TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT? The first hurdle to engaging and educating lawyers on ways to become efficient is that they have to want to change. If they don't see the value in it and/or they lack the desire to change, it's best to move on to other more attainable goals. One CIO explained his firm's position on lawyer efficiency this way: "All of firm leadership buys into it intellectually, but we aren't necessarily bought into it emotionally. Only some of our lawyers are actually rewarded for efficiency. The bulk of lawyers are rewarded by traditional billable goals. There are very few firms where there is a cultural sea change for it." A great place to start is with a practice group or team of lawyers who are motivated and have the desire to become more efficient, perhaps because a client is driving them there or because of the diversity within the group and type of work being handled. Form a partnership and work toward a common set of goals. Make instruction short, targeted and relational. What we've done for staff training simply doesn't work for lawyers. Most don't require hands-on learning in a classroom environment and will respond much better to one-on-one, personalized coaching on very specific topics that support their workflows. If you can show a lawyer just one or two things that save them precious minutes, they will be more open to further coaching down the road. The following are some best practices for engaging and educating lawyers. • Work directly with attorneys to understand their work, their clients and the current workflow and behaviors of the team members • Communicate the benefits to the team, keeping a two- way dialogue open; and build relationships within the ranks • Look for ways to gain efficiencies either within the current processes or by creating new ones • Determine if tasks are being handled by the appropriate roles based on time, billable work and skill set • Identify technology competencies for each role on the team • Create learning opportunities that support best practices for lawyer training — one-on-one, personalized and short (less than 30 minutes at a time) • Support just-in-time needs — rather than focusing on lawyers learning all the skills they might need to know, set goals for lawyers knowing where to go to get information when they need it The Hunton & Williams Technology Coaching Program by Pamela Hart of Hunton & Williams The Hunton & Williams Technology Coaching Program ensures our IT professionals work closely with attorneys and staff, understand their practices and workflows, and provide targeted training, guidance and support in the effective use of technology. As we help lawyers and staff understand and use technology, we must educate and mentor our IT staff to become more "practice- oriented." Through coaching, our lawyers and staff become comfortable and proficient in their use of technology. Innovative ideas (or even simple changes applied day-to-day) make a difference. IT Coaches at Hunton & Williams advocate for legal teams and promote best practices for the use of technology. To be successful, our Technology Coaches understand both technology and legal practices, and they fully engage our attorneys and practice support staff in the process. Embedding Technology Coaches in legal practices to learn, educate and effect change throughout the life cycle of a client matter is unique. We believe it will give Hunton & Williams distinct professional and competitive advantages. More than ever, our IT specialists will be involved and invested in the success of our legal teams and the clients they serve. Lawyers are typically highly intelligent people who juggle myriad tasks and demands throughout the day (and night), and they still manage to deliver quality legal services to their clients. Some would probably take exception to being called "inefficient," and rightly so. But with some demonstration, I believe most would agree that there are tasks that could be accomplished faster with the combination of technology and know-how. As trainers, we can provide value to lawyers and their clients by greasing the efficiency wheels and finding out what processes and skills improvements would have the most impact on a lawyer or practice group.