publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/550988
ILTA WHITE PAPER: JULY 2015 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 17 tools to capture and report those metrics. Most important, KM leadership must adopt the discipline of analyzing and interpreting those metrics and making adjustments in strategy or execution. This foundation for continuous improvement is another core competency that can be leveraged in more advanced KM programs. CLIENT-FOCUSED KM As law firms focus increasingly on marketing and business development, KM has a parallel opportunity to become more client focused. The first step often is to extend the mission of internally focused KM programs. • Know-how might evolve into developing model forms and templates for client work portfolios or even delivering them directly to clients • Current awareness could focus more on how changes in the law affect specific clients and the firm's work for them (this borders on business intelligence by delivering knowledge about changes in client industries, markets and businesses) • Professional development often expands into sharing knowledge with clients by delivering client advisory publications or training and educational programs developed specifically for clients Firms traditionally have classified these initiatives as marketing or business development and not as KM. However, these initiatives require many KM core competencies to succeed. • Lawyers must share information about themselves, their clients and their matters. Convincing lawyers to share know-how or contribute to current awareness or professional development activities is hard enough; persuading them to share information about their experience and matters (both of which are dynamic) and their clients and relationships (which they naturally guard) is harder still. Tackling these hesitations naturally draws on KM competencies applied to overcoming cultural barriers to information-sharing and fostering change in the way lawyers work. • Thoughtful design is required for capturing and structuring information to facilitate sharing. This draws on core KM competencies in capturing, organizing and delivering information in ways that lawyers find actionable. Client relationship management (CRM) systems are a useful case study. Because these systems typically support "know ourselves," "know our relationships" and "know our client," they stand to benefit from KM's participation. Unfortunately, many firms embark on CRM initiatives as led solely This expansion is much easier for firms with established, internally focused KM programs that provide the infrastructure and KM competencies needed to seamlessly produce and deliver knowledge to clients. Firms lacking internally focused KM programs, at a minimum, must establish a subset of the prerequisite people, processes and technologies to deliver their initial client-focused services. As a firm's KM sophistication and client focus continue to mature, the KM portfolio can expand to several more complex, demanding knowledge areas. • Know Ourselves: Capturing and sharing knowledge about the firm's experience as embodied in its people's experience and clients' matters • Know Our Relationships: Capturing and sharing information about the relationships of the firm's professionals outside the firm • Know Our Client: Ensuring lawyers remain current with their client's business, industry, people and competitors An important and sophisticated KM service, "know our client" helps position lawyers as business advisors to clients, rather than simply as legal service providers. Clients view lawyers who function as business and legal advisers as highly valued business partners. ARCHITECTING KM: BLUEPRINTS FOR NOVICES TO EXPERTS