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TECH SUPPORT documents to the top. It's getting there." So will knowledge managers eventually be out of work? "I think the time has come that we're going to have to rely more on technology," Tjaden says carefully. "Having said that, the ex- tent to which you can add some identifying information, like a proper description, author's name, etc., the better the smart search engine will work. So there will still be some human pro- cess. Technology can only go so far." Another area where McMillan hopes to improve is integrat- ing KM resources and making them more readily accessible. Like many firms, it's implementing Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, which integrates intranet and data features. "What SharePoint will do is allow lawyers, through a web browser, to pull documents from the document management system, but also from the financial management system and from the contact manager, and put it all in one place." A lawyer beginning or returning to work on a particular matter will be able to go to a web-like portal page and find all the contact and billing information, as well as all relevant doc- uments. They'll even be able to run searches for news stories about principal players in the case. "So the hope with Share- Point is that it gives us better browse ability and better search," says Tjaden. PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY It will also make it easy to implement RSS (really simple syndication), a mechanism Tjaden believes can help allevi- ate information overload, a serious problem in knowledge management. "Lawyers need information, but if it becomes too much, it's just overwhelming. So we're looking at using RSS to selectively push out information by practice group," he says. As promising as SharePoint is, it's not "easy" software. The firm has run into technical issues and is now working with XMLaw, a U.S.-based consulting and software firm that spe- cializes in adapting SharePoint for use in law firms. McMillan hopes to launch the product in first quarter 2009. Most challenges in law firm knowledge management haven't changed a lot in 10 years, says Tjaden. But one that has, at least at McMillan, is the traditional unwillingness of lawyers to share knowledge. Part of the change comes from a new approach to managing cases that involves assembling teams from different practice areas. For that approach to work, he points out, some traditional barriers to knowledge sharing must come down. But there is also just a general awareness of firm-wide bene- fits from effective knowledge management. "Most firms are no longer saying, 'Knowledge is power,'" Tjaden says. "They're in fact saying, 'Knowledge sharing is power.'" Gerry Blackwell is a London, Ont.-based freelance writer. He can be reached at gerryblackwell@rogers.com Supreme Court of Canada Counsel and Agency Services Henry S. Brown, Q.C. Martin W. Mason Brian A. Crane, Q.C. Graham Ragan Guy Régimbald Eduard J. Van Bemmel, Legal Assistant When it comes to legal technology, don't choose the road less travelled. Industry leader in legal software for real estate, corporate and estates for over a decade The choice of 2500 law firms, The Conveyancer generates required documents (including lender forms), tracks undertakings, exchanges data with Teraview® (ON) and SPIN (AB) and integrates with four title insurers. 2600 - 160 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 1C3 Tel: (613) 786-0139 Montréal Ottawa || Kanata | gowlings.com Toronto | Hamilton | Waterloo Region | | | Comprehensive corporate records software tracks changes and generates prescribed forms, registers, ledgers, share certificates, resolutions, minutes, correspondence, etc. Integrated e-filing and extracts. The Estate Administration module automates Rule 74/75 forms plus scores of letters and documents. The Estate Accounting module simplifies recording of financial transactions, and generates reports in "passing of accounts" format. Calgary Vancouver Moscow | London Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 www.doprocess.com www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com FEBRU AR Y 2009 23 ntitled-5 1 12/11/08 3:24:59 PM