Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/37773
in response to customer requirements. And with SharePoint 2010, it has specifically set its sights on filling a central law firm technology role — document management. Supporting these efforts, several vendors have produced add-ons and plug-ins designed to add functionality to SharePoint with a specific “law firm” bent. In parallel, the legal SharePoint community continues to collaborate, both on a peer level and directly with Microsoft, to share their experiences, trade best practices and identify new requirements. PURSUING PROMISED PORTAL PORTENTS For IT stakeholders, SharePoint offers several appealing attributes. As a Microsoft product, it aligns with the technology and architecture preferences of many law firms. It also offers tremendous flexibility and configurability. In some instances, it provides a new path to organizations looking for a fresh start from traditional document management software. And, probably most important, it gives firms greater ability to centralize business processes and acts as a unified front-end interface for lawyer-facing information, services and resources. But achieving these ends requires careful thought, planning and action. In the context of configuring SharePoint for document management, its extreme flexibility brings with it a complex set of decisions to make and challenges to manage. And, to date, the industry is still working toward best practices, with many interested firms taking a “wait and see” attitude. Presently, even basic questions, like those regarding DMS taxonomy, provoke serious thought and debate. How should a firm configure SharePoint to best organize its information? Is it better to store all documents for each matter in a separate SharePoint matter site or in a site collection? Or does mapping the more traditional hierarchical client/matter folder structure offer better trade-offs? Importantly, answers to questions like these have significant ramifications. Configuration preferences not only shape the user experience for lawyers, but they will also affect which third-party applications will operate with SharePoint DMS. POINTING THE WAY: LAW FIRM CONSORTIUM COLLABORATION Given that SharePoint taxonomy is only just one of a number of issues facing law firms, the legal community is taking steps to work together to effectively shepherd the technology’s maturation as a DMS. In 2010, a number of firms joined together to form the Law Firm SharePoint Consortium, an initiative facilitated and moderated by IntApp. The consortium provides a forum for organizations to collaborate, exchange best practices and shape the continuing development of SharePoint as an enterprise content management solution best suited for the specific needs of legal environments. It brings together a mix of information technology, enterprise content management and vendor experts focused on the goal of accelerating law firm adoption of and success with the technology. The program includes representatives from firms including Fenwick & West; SNR Denton; Perkins Coie; Torys; Lewis Silkin; Loeb & Loeb; and several others across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Members are actively exploring SharePoint product capabilities, documenting necessary enhancements, and creating guidelines and best www.iltanet.org Portal Platforms 35