Learn how to practice more efficiently

Free monthly ABA webinars. The ABA Law Practice Division is launching a free monthly webinar series focusing on how to practice more efficiently and deliver better client value, while improving your financial performance. The webinars are aimed at practicing lawyers, both in large firm and small firm settings. The webinars are free, open to all, and 30 minutes long.

Raising awareness for practicing lawyers. The Division's Knowledge Strategy Group, which is the sponsor of the webinar series and which I chair, believes that knowledge management and knowledge strategy are not well enough understood among most senior management and practicing lawyers in law firms. Yet economic pressures today make this practice management technique an even more important activity, which should be managed and accountable at the senior partner level and actively supported by practicing lawyers. A handful of law firms are doing this now at the senior partner level and the trend will likely continue. The Group hopes to facilitate that trend, starting with its webinar series.

First webinar presents the business case. The webinars feature practical takeaways for individual lawyers, law firms and practice groups. The first webinar, which I will moderate, presents the business case for knowledge strategy. It's entitled: "How to Compete with IBM Watson JD: Future-proof your practice by improving efficiency now - Part 1" and will be held on Jan. 28 at 12:00 Noon, Eastern (30 minutes). More information and registration are available here. Registrants will be able to listen to an archive of the program if they cannot attend live. The next two webinars will offer specific tips and tools that every lawyer or practice group can use to improve efficiency.

Topics of first webinar. The first webinar will cover the following:

• Why clients won't ask for efficiency, but will instead move to other lawyers who do provide the desired value
• Why efficiency is about people and process, not technology
• What we mean by efficiency
• How efficiency can improve not only the value you deliver to clients but also your financial results
• How you as an individual lawyer can respond now, whether you practice in a large firm or solo/small firm setting
• Why knowledge strategy is more powerful than knowledge management

Future topics requested. If there are topics you would like to see addressed in future webinars, please click here or contact me at [email protected].