Peer to Peer Magazine

41 WWW.ILTANET.ORG Firms are adopting a combination of deskside, classroom, "genius bar" and self-service training (virtual or recorded). project management) to support the delivery of substantive legal engagements, which should further spur the use of internal practice sets. In some instances, IT's program/project management practices (and organization) have been co-opted by the firm's administrative management, as there is an increasing understanding that these practices have applicability outside of IT. Other Elective Administrative Functions: Depending on the scope defined by the firm, the IT function could also own and manage knowledge management, library or legal research, litigation and practice support, records and filing, and new business intake and conflicts. Firms that do not have a formally defined knowledge management function have recognized 7 The Changing Landscape of IT Operations Practices FEATURES the value of having business analysts and analysis practices to ensure the firm's legal and administrative practices (e.g., practice group chairs, line lawyers and administrative areas) are aligned with the IT function and vice versa. These analysts bring solutions to the practices and ensure that the IT function is responsive and aligned to business needs. Firms with knowledge management functions typically subsume the business analyst practices under that function. A high-performance IT function in a law firm will address all of these operational areas, identifying how operations needs and practices must adapt to the ever- changing legal landscape. The firms that have made the most progress on this journey have focused first on assessing their current state and then on prioritizing the IT operations practices they believe will provide the most value for their firm's business. P2P Withstanding the Test of Time: IT Management Practices IT operations practices are only half of the puzzle. A high- performance IT function will also consider management practices, which include the practices, processes and tools required to manage the IT function. This IT Management Practices chart depicts the base management functions that should exist within every law firm IT function. This model has withstood the test of time and the changes affecting IT operations practices. • Law firm technology scope and requirements • IT strategic goals, mission and values • Strategic plan • IT annual operating plan IT Planning • IT steering committee charter and roles • Governance policies and procedures • IT decision policies and tracking • Budget and spend policy and authority IT Governance • Skilling and resource requirements • Organization structure and roles • Job descriptions • HR practices, including career development, performance management and training programs IT Human Resources and Organization • Budget management and reporting • Service-level agreements and reporting • Management protocols and reporting • Services catalogs • Communications programs • Incident management IT Management

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