Canadian Lawyer

18 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 w w w . c a n a d i a n l a w y e r m a g . c o m B ack in April 2015, I wrote that knowledge management "at smaller law firms is made relatively easier, not because there's any less to remember, but that we externalize our knowledge to other people and our systems." The point I was trying to make was that a smaller team means you know who or where to get the expertise you need. The idea is that you can knock on your neighbour's door to grab that preced- ent to use as a starting point in your case or deal. This works perfectly for the one in need, but it is rubbish for the expert on that topic who may field a barrage of interruptions throughout their working week. It is also highly inefficient for the organization, particularly as a way of learning for new or lateral hires, to have experts repeat the same piece of advice. This informal method of sharing know- ledge also contains an element of risk; of not knowing what you don't know and not realizing that there's something more recent or relevant out there. These are the three key reasons that lead many to initiate a knowledge manage- ment strategy: enabling efficiencies, continuous improvement and managing risk. KM does not happen by itself, however. I used to think that KM should not be outsourced to a separate department; that everyone at the firm should "do" KM. But that's not how the billable hour works in law firms. Getting expensive and busy experts to turn client-specific documents into models and checklists for others to re-use is not the greatest use of their time. L E G A L I N N O VA T I O N N O W BUILDING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT By Kate Simpson KM needs leadership at the strategic level to embed a culture of sharing and collabor- ation and at the tactical level in co-ordinat- ing across teams to identify, create and then manage the knowledge lifecycle and its re-use. KM needs a plan. You can't do everything at once, regardless of the money or resources you might have to throw at it. Think of KM (like innovation now that I think of it) as a set of building blocks. Certain slightly dull and uninspiring blocks need to be in place before setting the cool and funky, bright blocks on top. However, take note: Structuring this foundation first may hide early evidence that your investments will pay off. You will need commitment to see the plan through. KM also needs balance. You need to bal- ance your strategy and focus among four ele- ments: the content building blocks, the pro- cess blocks, the people and the technology blocks. Some KM initiatives can fail when building with just one type of block (often, the technology). Identifying where to start your KM program when faced with a forest of trees can be tough. Yet that well-worn cliché of the low-hanging fruit is helpful. In KM we look for the well-trod- den paths. Undertaking a current state/know- ledge inventory is a great first step. There will be shortcuts and work-arounds that lawyers have already figured out to save time. Uncover that binder or shelf that's full of their own collected precedents or the computer desktop littered with the documents they refer to most often. Discov- ering these often personal attempts at knowledge management is your low-hanging fruit. The next step is to understand where the most efficiencies might come from or where A successful KM program builds on your law firm's foundation @k8simpson O P I N I O N

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