publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/355985
ILTA WHITE PAPER: JULY 2014 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 20 • Judicata: Analyzes unstructured case law; illuminates how the law has been applied and how legal arguments will fare in the future • LEXIS Med Mal Navigator: Integrates medical and legal research with your case facts • Picture It Settled: Predicts anticipated reactions certain behavior will elicit from opponents • Thomson Reuters Twitter Tweets: Analyzes tweets to get sentiment Legal project management (LPM) is another example that fits into the legal big data picture. Firms can better understand trends or commonalities among matters, and they can run analytics against data in real time. LPM has the potential to correct inefficiencies, improve quality and assess proper staffing. Pricing tools also fall into this arena. Think TyMetrix, Sky Analytics and Aderant's Redwood Analytics, to name a few. In addition, the discipline of e-discovery — using predictive coding — is another big data example which ties into the legal industry. While law firms may have had access to the same data stores in the past, these tools provide another layer of depth and understanding. Per Oz Benamram: "This big (Brother) data allows us to see things we couldn't see before." In other words, we now have visibility into more actionable information and the opportunity to intervene — as needed — in advance of a problem. Early indicators and outcomes can highlight what is right and wrong about the way a firm operates. In short, LPM, pricing predictability and other big data projects can be tools that assist firms to gain a competitive edge in the legal market. Case Studies: Big Data and KM • Dora Tynes (Martinez) is CKO of Sheppard Mullin. She suggested there is an overabundance of data in law firms' systems; the information is not normalized, is duplicative and is all over the place. Sheppard Mullin is working with Handshake to corral that big data, index it with SharePoint 2013 FAST search and make it searchable on the firm's portal, while also passively delivering some of that data in dashboards built according to the needs of a user based on their role. In her opinion, this will provide a broader ability to make data more relevant and more meaningful to each practice area participant. To some ears, this would sound like applying knowledge management to big data. • Meredith Williams, CKO of Baker Donelson, defined big data as "so much data, you don't know what to do with it." Her firm is working on an ongoing project led by the firm's Phase Task Committee. She explains that firms as old as Baker Donelson have accumulated much data over their 100-plus-year history. This project will force people to open files utilizing a limited number of matter types. They are mapping out historical matters and building "matter plans" (a file checklist with phases) for any matter with billable time. The result will allow them to scope matters for staffing, budgeting and AFAs, and it will marry KM resources in order to bring context to the data. • Eric Hunter, Director of Knowledge Technology & Innovation Strategies at Bradford & Barthel in San Diego, explained how he has applied big data analytics to case and client information to develop "spherical models," which have transformed Bradford & Barthel's pricing model and service offering, driving productivity and financial performance. Hunter's spherical models are about bringing together multiple data/collaboration points to forecast outcomes and guide pricing. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: MINING FOR GOLD IN BIG DATA