The buzz around AI-enabled content and knowledge management was all over the place at this year’s KM&I for Legal conference, where several prominent firms showcased their latest initiatives. I was on the ground in New York with the Upland BA Insight team and spent the week soaking up a ton of information, while finding time for some incredibly insightful and productive conversations with BA Insight users.
Here are some key conversations legal experts are having around technology right now:
Themes from the KM&I for Legal Conference
The changing landscape of KM&I
The conference highlighted a significant shift in Knowledge Management and Innovation (KM&I). Moving beyond traditional KM aimed at enhancing legal service delivery (KM 1.0), the focus has shifted to strategic business development (KM 2.0), process improvement (KM 3.0), and ultimately, business transformation (KM 4.0). This evolution is driven by evolving client expectations and the need for law firms to stay competitive.
Leveraging AI-enabled content in legal practice
AI’s impact on the legal field was a red-hot topic, both on the event floor and in session content. Tech leaders are talking about how AI-enabled content tools are transforming routine tasks for attorneys and legal staff by automating and extracting insights from large datasets to enhance knowledge delivery and document management while improving client relations.
Human-centered technology
Despite the excitement around AI, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of a human-centered approach. Technology should complement and enhance an attorney’s skills rather than replace them. Building a KM&I culture involves understanding lawyer personalities, managing change effectively, and ensuring buy-in through transparent communication and demonstrable value.
Key Takeaways
Strategic Vision and Planning for KM&I
- Defining KM&I: During her keynote session, “Core Principles for Successful Knowledge Management,” Sally Gonzalez, Senior Consultant at Fireman & Company stressed the importance of clearly defining “knowledge” and “innovation” within the firm’s strategic goals. Understanding the purpose and objectives of KM&I initiatives is essential for aligning with business value and demonstrating ROI to firm leadership.
- Execution factors: Successful strategic planning involves addressing six key factors: culture, scope, processes, people, technology, and measures. Projects should align with these factors and be evaluated based on their value to the firm and ease of implementation.
- Prioritization and phases: The Eisenhower Matrix helps prioritize projects based on urgency and importance, ensuring high-value initiatives receive adequate attention while minimizing distractions. Phased implementation allows for ongoing refinement based on user feedback and changing needs.
Building Effective KM&I Teams
- Structure and roles: During their session, “Structuring Your KM & Innovation Team.” Amanda Gudis Stuart, Kay Kim, and Jeannine Zito showcased diverse organizational structures for KM&I teams. Key roles include knowledge managers, innovation advisors, data scientists, legal technologists, practice development specialists, and legal project managers.
- Collaboration and communication: Effective KM&I requires strong collaboration between departments like IT, Practice Innovation, Research Services, and Practice Management. Open communication channels and a shared understanding of the firm’s strategic goals are essential.
Modernizing Document Management with AI
- Evolving DMS requirements: Traditional Document Management Systems (DMS) excelled in security and collaboration but lacked effective KM capabilities. Greg Lambert and Laurent Wiesel discussed new AI-enabled content demands, including:
- Document and Metadata Extraction for efficient searching and categorization.
- Vector Embeddings for capturing semantic meaning and relationships.
- Knowledge Graphs for rich, contextual understanding.
- Unified Data Access for seamless integration with external data sources.
- Challenges and opportunities: Modernizing legacy systems, addressing poor information governance, and ensuring data quality are key challenges. However, various providers are offering AI-enabled content solutions, giving law firms multiple options.
Revolutionizing Knowledge Delivery
- AI-enabled content and data: During their session, “Revolutionizing Knowledge Delivery: Navigating the Future of Legal Content Management,” Kate Simpson, Chief Knowledge Officer at Bennett Jones LLP, and Andrea Alliston, Partner, Knowledge and Practice Innovation at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP emphasized distinguishing between content and data in legal knowledge. Organizing, enriching, retrieving, reusing, and reimagining content is crucial for leveraging AI effectively.
- Proactive knowledge delivery: AI encourages a shift from reactive Just-in-Time Knowledge to a proactive approach. Intelligent chatbots, connected knowledge systems, and personalized recommendations can deliver the right information at the right time, streamlining workflows and improving decision-making.
Real-World Applications of AI in Legal Practice
- Client portal innovation: David Boland and Susan Sommers of Ogletree Deakins showcased their firm’s successful client portal, emphasizing client-focused innovation, strong team collaboration, and measurable value creation. The portal offers clients 24/7 access to curated legal data, automated compliance tools, and personalized insights, resulting in high client satisfaction and positive ROI.
- Attorney contributions: Jacob Hasler of Perkins Coie LLP and Mike Stefanelli of McKinsey & Company presented a system for tracking and rewarding attorney contributions to KM initiatives. The solution uses existing tools and data to provide transparency and ensure equitable credit, leading to high participation rates and increased goodwill among attorneys.
Navigating the AI Evolution
- Ethical considerations and client concerns: During their session, Kevin Bielawski, Andrew Sprogis, and David Rueff discussed ethical considerations and client concerns regarding AI adoption. Key issues include data privacy, confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, and potential bias in AI outputs.
- Training and responsible use: Law firms must implement comprehensive training programs to educate lawyers on the responsible use of AI-enabled content tools. Clear guidelines, policies, and monitoring mechanisms are crucial to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with ethical standards and client requirements.
Looking Ahead: Untethering the Law
- Disruptive innovation: Joshua Fireman, Founder & President at Fireman & Company, concluded the conference with a presentation challenging traditional law firm models. Drawing parallels with the hotel industry and real estate investment trusts (REITs), he suggested that untethering legal services from the traditional partnership structure could unlock new opportunities for innovation and value creation.
Conclusion
This year’s KM&I for Legal Conference offered so many valuable insights into the current state and future trajectory of knowledge management and innovation in the legal profession. The conference underscored the transformative potential of AI-enabled content while highlighting the importance of human-centered design, strategic planning, effective team building, and responsible implementation. By embracing these principles, law firms can leverage AI to enhance efficiency, improve client service, and remain competitive in the rapidly evolving legal landscape.
The key insight from KM&I is that generative AI has firmly established itself as a lasting force in the AI enablement space. At BA Insight, we’ve released an AI enablement platform that’s already making a strong impact on our customers. With the potential to transform industries, BA Insight is at the forefront, empowering companies to streamline their responses, saving time and money. Learn more about BA Insight’s launch of the world’s first AI enablement platform, then reach out to our AI search experts to get started at your firm.
