Digital White Papers

26 WWW.ILTANET.ORG | ILTA WHITE PAPER KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT One Size Does Not Fit All: Practice Group KM tools such as wikis and discussion forums. These lawyers seek consistency in the advice they give, and this requires sharing knowledge regarding difficult or new issues. As many in KM know, a collaboration tool is the perfect platform for sharing and collecting this information, but uptake has been less than stellar. We have had mixed results at Stikeman. If you are embarking on a collaboration project, starting with your advisory practices might be a good idea. » Automated Legal Advice: As noted by Ron Friedmann in the "Online Legal Services" Prism Legal blog, the number of online subscription and advice services is growing for many reasons, including: To automate baseline work to focus on higher-value activities To seek competitive advantages or differentiation To create efficiencies 1 2 3 NICOLA SHAVER Nicola Shaver is the Director of Knowledge Management in Stikeman Elliott's Toronto office, responsible for leading the planning, development and execution of knowledge management systems and initiatives. She facilitates collaboration between practicing lawyers, business services and technology to identify and implement processes and products that improve efficiency and productivity. In 2005, Nicola was called to the bar in New South Wales, Australia, where she practiced law for eight years before moving into knowledge management. Contact her at nshaver@stikeman.com. Embedded KM lawyers produce a much richer variety of offerings for practice groups. Groups with dedicated KM lawyers respond to this resource by vocalizing their needs more explicitly. Concerns that might otherwise go unheard or unheeded are instead addressed by professionals with expertise in the practice area, allowing for tailor-made solutions and just-in-time service. Firms invested heavily in KM breed lawyers who understand KM's benefits. They will readily contact KM for help developing specialized content collections and investigating tools they recognize as potentially helpful to their practice. Lawyers might even invite KM to meet with clients and help develop customized platforms to meet external needs. KM is viewed as integral to the firm's success. The opposite is also true; in firms with peripheral KM, lawyers often have difficulty understanding what KM can do for them. The lawyers do not appreciate the innate value of the firm's intellectual capital, and much of that capital is lost or under-used. In smaller firms with niche expertise, one size could, in fact, fit all well. A boutique practice functions much like a single practice group in a larger firm. Providing a streamlined approach to KM support, with the same tools available for all, likely works better in this environment. Observations About the KM Function Nicola: Having worked at several firms, I have seen KM function in different ways. Here are some observations:

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