Knowledge Management

Aligning Taxonomies for Marketing and KM

Common vocabularies are a core requirement if firms want to fully utilize the knowledge created by their attorneys. Organizing those vocabularies into a taxonomy makes it easier to share knowledge across tools and practices. However, many firms don’t create or maintain common taxonomies, resulting in knowledge gaps and a lack of findability.
A common vocabulary, whether it’s something that’s specific to your firm or leveraging existing taxonomies like SALI, is an investment of both time and money, but putting in the effort allows attorneys to quickly find colleagues who have specific skills, experience, or backgrounds.
 
Questions the moderator asked the speaker:
1.Is there one thing in particular that made you realize that this was a problem, and one that needed to be solved?
2.Talking about taxonomies tends to make people tune out. How did you get buy in from other groups?
3.How do you maintain your taxonomies? Is it a group effort? If so, which groups should be involved?
4.What would be your recommendations for firms that are just starting to engage with this issue?
Moderator:
@Holly Hanna - KM Firm Solutions Manager, Perkins Coie
Speaker:
@Rachel Shields Williams -  Director, Knowledge Management, Sidley Austin LLP
 
Recorded on 07-13-2023

Do You Want to Build a Podcast? Unraveling the Magic Behind ”Entertaining” Content

Your average end user now spends more time consuming and sharing educational entertainment than ever before.
From podcasts to film documentaries, there is a formula that keeps us coming back for more, and ensures the audience retains that information well enough to talk about it with everyone they know. How do we capture that spark in professional learning? As trainers and developers, how do we bring entertainment to education? What looks easier than it actually is, and what is far easier than it looks?
What kind of talent can help you create and execute that vision? In this session, learners will identify the educational fundamentals we see in this genre of entertainment, and then brainstorm opportunities to blend entertainment tactics into our learning strategy to make exciting podcasts.
 
Questions the moderator asked the speaker:  
We’d love to hear your origin story.  [Insert what we know about them to show engagement with the panel.] What inspired you to create your current podcast series?
Is there anything that surprised you along your journey?
Many of our listeners work for legal organizations which have contemplated or actually implemented podcasts.  What are some things to watch out for when building your first podcast?
My guess is a newbie podcaster may see a decent level of interest in their early podcasts perhaps because of its’ novelty.  However, the newbie may see some drop-off over time.  What have you found to be successful ways to maintain audience engagement?  Related, any tips on building your audience?
Many law firms and other legal organizations have created their own podcasts.  What have you found that makes your podcast a differentiator?
I’ve heard of many podcasts bubbling up from within a law firm.  As an example, BD has a podcast, Knowledge Management has one, and multiple partners have created one perhaps even in conjunction with partners at other law firms.  Assuming there is value in coordinated efforts at a firm, do you have any recommendations for combining forces?
I’ve heard of edutainment – the combination of education and entertainment.  What have you learned from other podcasters or your own experience on blending the best of those worlds?
Any practical tips generally – for example, have you found the best duration for a podcast (e.g., 20 minutes, 60 minutes)?  Audio quality tips? Upside/downsides to inviting guests?  Stick to only audio or sometimes include video?
 
Moderator:@Alejandro Vallellanes - Former Global Senior Manager of Research, Baker McKenzie
Speaker:@Greg Lambert - Chief Knowledge Services Officer, Jackson Walker L.L.P
 
Recorded on 06-28-2023

Helping Attorneys Overcome Mindset that Technology is Just a Support Function

How can we articulate the value of technology in helping meeting client expectations and improving the bottom line? In this session, the speakers discussed this and more.Questions Glenn will ask the speakers: 
-There is a  perception by some attorneys that technology is a cost of business and, specifically, only a support function. Where do you think this stems from?
-Based on this perception, each of you have likely identified strategies to convince attorney and leaders that technology is more than simply a cost of doing business. What strategies have you employed or seen others employed to convince attorneys of the benefit of technology?
-The best made plans, particularly for a junior leader, may look great on paper but suddenly become challenging when put to practice.  Throughout your career, what obstacles have you faced when employing these strategies?  Are there any risks?  Have any backfired?
-For new C-suite or director level leaders, what would you encourage them to do to advocate for technology projects particular in light of the current economy? How do you  recommend they approach business value/ROI when proposing technology?
-To help with your persuasion, do you engage with client teams such as their legal department) to better understand their business needs?
- We’ve touched on a few of the key stakeholders but there are certainly more.  Do you find that you need to approach stakeholders in different ways when convincing them of a technology’s value?
- Can you share any examples of where technology clearly helped the bottom line?
-Any final thoughts?
Moderator:@Glenn Hoxie -Senior Project Manager, Practice Innovation, Paul Hastings LLP
Speakers:@Leslie Brown - Director of Client Value, Blank Rome LLP@Paul Unger -  Partner, Affinity Consulting@Jacqueline Schafer - CEO, Clearbrief@Brendan Miller - Legal Innovation Professional and Attorney” (previously Director of Practice Systems & Innovation for AmLaw 100 firmRecorded on 05-11-2023

The Scourge of the ”Non-Attorney” Heading

Overwhelmingly, law firms operate as though attorneys are the ""important"" parts of their business, and that business staff is... well, chopped liver. How can firms adjust/improve their language to change this attitude/perception?
Questions Harriet asked the speakers:• The landscape for hiring and recruiting within law firms has changed a lot since January 2020 (and again since the end of 2022). What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry/in convos with peers? What surprised everyone the most about how recruiting/hiring has changed in the legal field? (I’m thinking first year associate pay has got to be a big one!)• What are your predictions for how things will stay the same/change in law firm operations over the next 5-10 years? Do you think attorneys will fundamentally change their expectations around work-life balance? And how are firm resources being marketed to attorneys during their recruiting process (as part of the support package)? (i.e. research departments, LPM, etc)• Let’s talk a bit about the split in law firms between attorneys and “everyone else”… what have you seen across the industry, and do you think those divisions are breaking down, becoming more defined, or something else? I’m also interested in how you think this will play out as the market retracts again: it’s been popular to cut back on administrative staffing in times of financial concern, but that loads more work back onto attorneys—do you see anything differently happening this time around?
Moderator:
@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes -  Senior Project Manager - Legal Operations, CBRE Group 
 
Speakers:
@Jennifer Bluestein - Chief Talent and HR Officer, Perkins Coie@Chris Boyd - Chief Operating Officer, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
 
 
Recorded on 04-07-2023

Legal Tech: What’s Next?

As more players enter the legal technology market, what trends and advances should we be keeping an eye on? What trends or tools have the potential to radically disrupt the profession? In this podcast interview, the speakers will discuss this and much more!
 
Questions Jennifer asked the speakers: 
1.        What will be the most important legal technology trend for lawyers and legal professionals to follow in 2023?2.        What trends or tools have the potential to radically disrupt the profession?3.        Where should law firms and law departments focus their legal tech budgets in the next year? Three years?4.        How will legal technology impact client engagement?
Moderator:@Jennifer Mendez - Sr. Director  of Knowledge Management Innovation, Fisher Phillips
Speakers:Joe Borstein - Chief Executive Officer, LexFusionCasey Flaherty - Chief Strategy Officer, LexFusion Recorded on 04-05-2023

How Add-On Services Are Changing the Legal Landscape

Law firms are increasingly expanding their scope and advertising "add-on" services. How can attorneys make use of these to make themselves "stickier" to clients, and how can law firms promote these services in a way that conveys their increased importance to the overall client experience? In this podcast interview, the speakers discussed this and more. 
 
Questions Harriet will asked the speakers:
• Tell us a bit about the evolution of NRF’s Legal Operations department: what was the intended purpose, and how does it interact with the larger business?
• How can attorneys make use of this group (or others within the firm) to make themselves "stickier" to clients? 
• How is (or can) the firm promote these services in a way that conveys their increased importance to the overall client experience?Moderator:
@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes - Senior Project Manager - Legal Operations, CBRE Group 
 
Speakers:
@Al Hounsell - Director - Strategic Innovation and Legal Design, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada 
Kathy Goodman - Practice Innovation & Knowledge Counsel, Paul Hastings (London)
 
Recorded on 04-05-2023

How Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Are Changing the Face of Search

Enterprise search, targeted search, predictive search, conceptual search...so many options, but which is the right one for your organization? Will advances in AI change how we search going forward? Will we see Alexa or Siri for legal?Questions Jennifer used to guide the conversation:
We often hear about various search options in legaltech - enterprise search, predictive search, conceptual search, just to name a few. How has search evolved in the legal industry over the last decade? 
How will advances in artificial intelligence change the way we search in law firms and legal departments?
Will we see voice search, similar to Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, in legal? If so, what are the ethical implications of relying on voice-enabled technologies? 
What does the future of search look like?
The legal industry is notorious for its unhurried approach to change. How do you see the change management and adoption process of these technologies playing out in legal? What outside factors do you think will drive law firm adoption?
Moderator:@Jennifer Mendez - Sr. Director of Knowledge Management Innovation, Fisher Phillips
Speaker:@Pablo Arredondo - Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Casetext
 
Recorded on 03-15-2023

Improve Staffing with Technology: Case Study on Development of a Staffing Tool

This podcast consists of an interview with Melissa Prince on how Ballard created and implemented a staffing (“workforce allocation” or “availability projection”) tool. We also discussed the impetus for the creation of the platform, the obstacles Melissa faced, and how she has driven engagement with associates and partners.Questions Kristin asked Melissa:1. Can you provide a little background about your role at the firm and your practice management department? Who handles staffing?2. First, what did you identify as gaps in the staffing process that led to the development of your tool?3. At the outset, who were your champions and where were your obstacles?4. How did you decide to build something in-house as opposed to going to a third party vendor?5. What are the primary features of your tool and what aspects are you still looking to build out?6. Who references and utilizes the reports?7. How are you continuing to drive engagement with the tool? Any ongoing challenges?Moderator:@Kristin Rhodes - Senior Practice Manager, Paul Hastings LLP
Speaker:​@Melissa Prince - Chief Client Value and Innovation Officer, Ballard SpahrRecorded on 10-07-2022

Attorney Task Management: Beyond LPM

We've seen an increasing number of requests for help around task management that go beyond traditional legal project management tools. Associates wants to see everything assigned to them, and be able to manage it without partners seeing how they're doing so. Partners want to see tasks they’ve assigned across clients and matters. The problem seems like one that should be easily solved with technology, but when you dig into the issues, you realize that no one has a good solution. What is getting in the way of delivering a task management solution that works for attorneys?Questions Holly will be asking Floor:1. Firms have tried using a lot of different technologies to help associates manage their tasks and give partners insight into status, but most of these efforts haven’t been successful. Why is this so difficult to solve?2. Oftentimes, when we hear from attorneys on this topic, the conversation starts with them saying “I want this technology”, but we know that if a technology could solve the issue we wouldn’t be having this conversation. How can we have a more productive conversation with our attorneys, not just on this topic, but generally?3. The term ‘innovation’ gets used a lot, but again, it often seems to be used when discussing technological solutions. What would be a better way of having a conversation about innovation?
Moderator: @Holly Hanna - KM Firm Solutions Manager, Perkins CoieSpeaker:@Floor Blindenbach -Founder & CEO, Organizing4Innovation
Recorded on 09-23-2022
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Connecting the Dots - People, Process, Tech

In today’s world, purchasing technology is no longer a sure fire way to solve a business problem. In addition to the right technology you need to have the right people, following the right process and leveraging the right technology to solve the complex business problems law firms are facing. But how do you connect these three concepts within your organizations? Listen to this discussion with Rachel Shields Williams from Sidley Austin and Debbie Foster from Affinity Consulting Group.
Questions Rachel will ask Debbie:· What is the secret to connecting people, process and technology in today’s modern law firm.· Is there one part of the “People, Process, and Technology” that leaders should focus on more? Or do you see people focus one more than the other?· Common pit falls when trying to connect the dots?· What is one piece of advice that you would give to anyone trying to connect the dots?
Moderator:@Rachel Shields Williams - Director, Knowledge Management, Sidley Austin LLPSpeaker:@Debbie Foster - Partner, Affinity Consulting Group
Recorded on 09-19-2022

Data Hygiene and Upkeep: How Do We Know if We’re Doing it Right? How Can We Use ”Dark” Data to Drive Business Decisions?

In this podcast, the speakers discuss using data appropriately in the legal sphere, and thinking creatively about what various data sources within your firm or organization can tell you.Questions Harriet will ask the speakers:· Big picture: How do we make sure data is useable, accessible/findable, and consistent across departments?· On the topic of so-called “dark” data: what are some uses cases from other industries that we should think about applying to the legal industry? In other words, how can we mine data that’s already being collected and make better/new use of it?· What are some ways in which we can convince groups to share their data for the greater good? How can we get buy-in from the average partner/shareholder to share their data across the firm, to ultimately enable trend-spotting and proactive action, rather than simply using data to tell retrospective stories?Moderator:@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes - Process Innovation Senior Specialist, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Speakers:@Lisa Gardner - Director of Data Analytics, Shearman & Sterling@Paul Giedraitis - Principal, Axiom Consulting Partners/Orgaimi
Recorded on 09-13-2022