KM resources emerge as indispensable assets in hybrid legal workplace

By Derek Schutz on November 11, 2021, as appeared in Ark Group’s KM Legal Insights

In recent months, some firms have encouraged employees to return to their physical offices. However, what that return looks like in reality differs greatly across the legal landscape. Businesses around the globe are embracing a balance between in-office and remote work at the request of their employees. However, this split work environment doesn’t come without a unique set of questions, challenges, and rewards.

Securing and serving up data for hybrid work
Access to data in the new hybrid workplace will be a differentiator for firms, whether lawyers and staff are working in an office together, in a hybrid setup with some in and some out, or working completely from home. Relevant data — based on their roles, clients, and guidelines — needs to be available to law firm professionals whenever and wherever they need it.

Surfacing firm data in portals and collaboration platforms where your lawyers are already working (Microsoft Teams, personal dashboards, etc.) ensures continuity in firm output, but securing that data is now equally important to the data itself. Security provided by the Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) is no longer enough. Lawyers and clients alike now need robust security features to ensure safe access from anywhere.

Surveys say KM tech and professionals are top priorities
Aderant recently conducted two law firm surveys surrounding technology and the business of law. The results of both indicated that KM technologies — and the professionals who purchase, install, and support them — are both highly demanded and greatly valued at law firms.

Aderant’s 2020 Business of Law Survey tasked respondents with evaluating the impact of KM-related technologies on their firm’s efficiency. A significant 62 percent of firms said KM tech had a moderate or major impact on efficiency at their firms. This placed KM at #5 in the top ranking of technologies with the greatest impact on law firm efficiency, following Document Management (#1), Financial Management/ERP (#2), Time/Expense Management (#3), and Business Intelligence (#4). This leads us to the inherent understanding that at the heart of any successful KM strategy is accurate, accessible data. This data is only valuable, however, if firms have the proper technology to manage and use it to their advantage.

KM resources are key to a law firm’s success
Today’s firms are laser-focused on growing their KM capabilities. The pandemic has prompted more firms to implement KM tools to improve collaboration, both for internal employees and for external collaboration with clients. Several Aderant clients said that their top priority in the next 6-12 months is to establish a “centralized portal for all employee info and collaboration.” Next in priority order came “migrating on-premise KM tech products to the cloud.” The popularity of collaboration resources and the cloud has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and firms are not the only ones to benefit from this trend. While KM resources make internal collaboration easier, clients also benefit from a boost to external collaboration efforts. Legal clients are increasingly demanding a higher quality of service, and firms investing in KM technology are ahead of the curve in delivering a superior experience to them.

Both of Aderant’s recent surveys illuminated the essential role of KM professionals and technologies in enabling secure access to information. As law firms continue to pursue hybrid workplace models, KM resources will be a fundamental cornerstone of their success.