A Little of This, A Little of That

There is often such great diversity among the topics covered in our daily feeds that choosing just two or three to highlight is tougher than it sounds. this problem is compounded by the fact that we have so many talented writers and bloggers in this industry! Some days, a definite theme or synergy is easily gleaned from the options and that helps us choose. Others, like today, simply have too many entries with too much differentiation to choose from with any degree of ease. So it is by happenstance that we choose today's main topics - law firms and legal technology and KM policies. Enjoy, but do not forget to check out the rest of the great content in the additional sections below.

Tech Trends

I often bristle a little when people say that law firms are slow in adopting new technologies. While it is generally true that it takes time and effort to roll out new tech in a large organization, this blanket statement glosses over much deeper considerations. I prefer to say that firms are "more cautious and purposeful" in their tech adoption. As Nicole Black notes, firms like to take an audit both internally and externaally when it comes to what is being used and by whom. She writes, "When making this assessment, a thorough understanding of your firm's needs and daily operations is crucial, but it's also helpful to learn about the steps other law firms are taking to upgrade their firm's technology." Nicole's piece on the latest ILTA technology survey shows us just what considerations are currently weighing on the minds of law firm decision makers. Get the insights in: New Survey on Technology Use by Law Firms: How Does Your Firm Compare?.

Policy Wonk

Among the many keys to creating a successful KM program in any institution is the need to set the proper expectations among its stakeholders. This is particularly integral to keeping your knowledge management system running beyond its launch. Nick Milton writes, "On way to make these Knowledge Management expectations clear is by defining an in-house policy, for Knowledge Management." But what exactly does it mean to have a KM policy? Nick tackles the definition and more in: Knowledge Management Policies - what they are, and why you need them.

Ready for the week,

John J. DiGilio, MLIS, JD, Editor of Librarian News Digest
Vice President of Research & Intelligence, LAC Group
Phone: 323.459.4999
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/johndigilio/
Blog: Pinhawkblog.com
Twitter: @pinhawkhappens