publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/550988
ILTA WHITE PAPER: JULY 2015 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 36 SURVIVING DISRUPTION: KM'S ROLE IN THE FUTURE LAW FIRM and more to prepare lawyers for the future. Students will learn how to conduct due diligence using data mining tools, conduct legal research using cognitive computing software and draft contracts using document assembly software. Students will also have access to myriad skills-oriented courses, including legal technology design, innovation and entrepreneurship. Canada's Osgoode Hall Law School recently launched a course where students use basic application design and project management methodology to develop their own legal applications. Ryerson University is the home of Canada's first legal incubator, the Ryerson Legal Innovation Zone, created to foster the development of innovative solutions to make Canada's legal system and services smarter, faster and better. Law schools will also expand their cross- disciplinary studies to allow students to obtain accreditation in other fields, recognizing many graduates will pursue alternative legal careers requiring more specialized skills and technical expertise. As the legal profession continues to experience the impact of disruptive innovation, technological advancement and intensified competition, more law school graduates will gravitate to opportunities outside of law firms and legal practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT All of this change and upheaval present big opportunities for KM professionals. Knowledge of that role. KM must position itself on the front line in adopting disruptive new technologies, the most critical being artificial intelligence. It will be KM's responsibility to work closely with IT and their firms' CIOs to embrace and implement these new tools as quickly as they arrive on the scene. Knowledge management will play an increasingly important role in creating and updating global expertise networks across offices worldwide to foster greater collaboration, especially on complex multijurisdictional matters. managers are best suited to identify the skills and competencies required for legal data analysis, data modeling, legal process analysis, legal project management, process mapping, information governance, network analysis and change management. Working closely with law firm management and HR, knowledge managers will provide invaluable input on everything from staffing to procurement and succession planning. KM professionals should start defining their future role as strategic leaders of innovation, spotting trends and equipping their firms with the knowledge and skills to compete and succeed in the emerging future state. Staying abreast of novel business models and their impact on law firm work processes and profitability will be an essential part Law firm leadership will shift to a more diverse group in terms of gender, ethnicity and educational backgrounds, with non-lawyer professional managers becoming the norm.