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What’s on the Horizon in Knowledge Management?

What’s on the Horizon in Knowledge Management? Unlock the value of your organization's best thinking. Knowledge management is a sure way to maximize productivity and efficiency for busy for legal professionals.

By Thomson Reuters  
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Get Ready West KM 300x250 10-4-16The future of knowledge management solutions is evolving, but what is certain is that the proliferation of content, information, data, and more knowledge to be collected, deciphered, stored, and referenced anew will not wane. That means the outlook for knowledge management tools as the answer for best-practice, streamlined workflow and productivity is positive.

To help understand the future we spoke with a number of leaders in the knowledge management sector in law firms across the country, we have learned a variety of new thoughts and techniques on how knowledge management tools are incorporated into the fabric of the law firm, and the challenges and opportunities each firm faces as they strive for greater utilization to ensure efficiency that supports the practice of litigation and transactional law.

As we look ahead to what may come, here are some thoughts from our panel of experts in research services, business intelligence, knowledge management, and information services.

Marlene Gebauer, Director of Knowledge Solutions at Greenberg Traurig, LLP in Miami, suggests that the future of knowledge management will include a hybrid, multidisciplinary model. This will consist of technology professionals and information professionals taking spots with project managers and legal professionals to create a blend between groups.

“Law firm librarians are perfect examples of how professionals need to morph and stay ahead of changes technology brings,” said Gebauer. “Skill and competency will be the next indicators of accountability versus titles in the law firm. Librarians have a vast skill toolbox at their disposal and if they embrace the opportunities change offers, they can continue to develop their role in the knowledge management space.”

Librarians have had to adjust with the times and adopt new skills or be a dying one-trick pony. With the additional competency, the new knowledge services professionals can partner with other teams and be more effective at offering a breadth of services in problem-solving roles.

“Previously, a member of my team migrated over to be a SharePoint® developer and we have a solid relationship with her and her new department,” added Gebauer. “It makes workflow more streamlined and people are quickly realizing it’s no longer about siloing work, but whether we’re all working together to get the job done.”

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There’s still more on the horizon for the changing face of knowledge management and the professionals who are its biggest champions. Because the industry is in constant flux, those who recognize and embrace looming changes in job descriptions, roles, titles, and opportunities to build on success will stay ahead of the curve.

A conference by Ark Group in October 2015 at New York Law School called “Knowledge Management in the Legal Profession” cited 50 new registrants who had not previously attended. More such topics are expected on the horizon as demand throughout the industry creates the need for education and best practices.

To earn higher utilization of knowledge management solutions throughout the firm, some are looking to practice support lawyers or knowledge management attorneys as the ticket for more word-of-mouth marketing of West km®, for example.

“We recently hired our first-ever professional support lawyer in the U.S. who is embedded in a practice group,” said Julie Bozzell, Chief Research and Knowledge Officer of Hogan Lovells, LLP in Washington, D.C. “We believe this could be the missing component to help push more users to adopt knowledge management practices for greater and enhanced productivity.”

Dan Pelletier, Director of Legal Information Services of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, New York, wants to see more librarians and knowledge services professionals in a centralized library. He suggests there may be pushback on staffing from the corner office as larger libraries are not the norm.

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Kimberly Stein, National Manager, Knowledge Management Solutions of Thomson Reuters, sums it up nicely, “The Knowledge Management Services department is the heart of a law firm. It is where the pulse of enterprise research resides and where information emanates. We could not partner with law firms without this critical partnership from professionals who truly understand the underbelly of large law firms from information services and enterprise software to the practice and back office of law. Respectfully, we hold the formerly titled librarian in the highest regard, and they are the champions and advocates for firms’ software solutions for research, efficiency, and productivity.”

One thing is certain; the future of knowledge management resides squarely with what’s approaching on the horizon. The legal industry will soon feel the effects of artificial intelligence, big data, pricing and profitability, cognitive learning, and machine automation. To ensure competitive positioning, the need for technology adoption is clear. The large law firm that is proactive, flexible, and leads change will also eliminate technology complacency to become the decisive winner down the homestretch.

West km is a trusted knowledge management system for legal professionals. It integrates knowledge management software with your organization’s work product while incorporating Thomson Reuters Westlaw enhancements and legal research technology. It’s a sure way to maximize productivity and efficiency. Watch a video to learn more.

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