The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/96072
best practices • Analyze Needs: In phase two, it is important to understand workflow throughout the firm. Talk to lawyers and determine their needs, and discuss with nonlawyers how resources are currently being used. Information about lawyers' practices, projects and clients, and the technical skill requirements for support staff, is needed. Document which tasks are billable and which are nonbillable. Discover what lawyers' perceptions are of secretarial contribution levels and skill strengths. There is often a large perception gap between what secretaries can or should do and what their lawyers think they can or should do. Appropriate academic programs for legal secretaries do not really exist. • Measure (and Celebrate) Success: Begin this last step by revisiting the goals and vision of success from phase one. Evaluate data to determine what level of success has been achieved. Measurement takes two forms: quantitative and qualitative. A quantitative assessment involves mathematical or statistical quantities, such as hours of reduced overtime, percent decrease in employee turnover or the amount of increased profit. The qualitative assessment relies primarily on words and nonverbal communication, such as job satisfaction survey results, opinion poll findings or interview responses. Determine which methods of measurement make the most sense for your firm and are in line with the goals of the role redesign. If it was a goal to reduce overtime, compare overtime hours before the secretary role was redesigned to overtime hours after changes were made. If the goal was to increase lawyers' satisfaction with their practice support needs, interview or survey lawyers to determine how they feel after the changes are in place. Throughout the entire process, be sure to communicate effectively in order to alleviate fears and gain buy-in to the change. Legal Secretaries of the Future • Develop New Staffing Models: Now is the time to use the data collected in phase two to outline what successful support looks like to both lawyers and secretaries. You should have answers to which hours of the day, days of the week and periods of the month contain the highest support needs and what the work preferences are for each group. By creating a list of tasks, work styles and skill sets, a matrix can be created that will map tasks, people's skills and business needs. A list of core competencies for secretaries should emerge. During this phase, it is not uncommon to discover that a team approach might work best for parts of the firm. Some firms create specialized teams such as "e-filing," "document assembly" or "Excel users." Utilizing teams of subject-matter experts (SMEs) or "power users" ensures there are always skilled backups in the case of absences. The team approach can also serve as a training ground in a specialized area and serve as a new career path for a secretary. • Assess Skills and Develop Educational Programs To Close Gaps: Once staffing models have been created, devise a professional development program to assess secretaries' skills, and decide what educational opportunities are necessary to close skills gaps. Perhaps formal coaching or mentoring sessions make sense to help transition secretaries into their new roles and workflows. If a team approach is being used, match secretaries' technical skills to the teams that require their expertise. Communicate the development path, and collaborate with secretaries so they know their career goals are important to the business of the firm. However the role is redesigned at your firm, there are a few common issues that will most likely need to be addressed. The legal secretary or assistant of the near future will require most of the following traits: adaptable to change, flexible, open to new projects and responsibilities, willing to take on challenges to gain experience and a desire for continuous learning and professional development. To accommodate new technology and workflows, they will need to adjust communication with lawyers so more information can be shared regarding current projects and clients. Beyond expense reports and document production, secretaries will have to gain skills in one or more of the following areas: relationship management, knowledge management, e-discovery, practice management, project management and e-filing. They will also need deeper knowledge of PDF technology, databases and software such as Excel. As law firms continue to evolve their business processes and race to keep up with the increasing advances in technology, roles will need to be redefined and skills gaps closed to keep pace with client expectations. How that looks in your firm needs to be determined. One thing we know for sure, it won't look like it does today. Paula Anderson is a Learning Development Specialist for Traveling Coaches, Inc. and a former member of their award-winning User Adoption Consulting Team. She has over 18 years of experience in instructional systems development and performance support and holds a Master of Science in instructional and performance technology. Paula can be contacted at panderson@travelingcoaches.com. 20 Peer to Peer