Recently I read an article about IT training for lawyers by Neil Cameron. The article provided great insights into how much IT training is lacking in law firms. Not only about specific workflow solutions such as case management, time management, and billing management but even about normal Microsoft solutions such as word, excel, and power point. Neil has pointed out many examples and has also provided a solution and many ways to implement the same,i.e., training users in a law firm.
In simple terms what is the phrase "IT training for Law Firms" means? IT training encompasses training on all IT products from simple tools like word, excel to complex tools like case management and modelling tools (e.g.,Visio) for each and every user, irrespective of their level in the law firm.
But the point is even management at law firms is not willing enough to provide specific training to its users? The answer is a bold 'NO'. Unfortunately, law firms are more interested in only churning out work products for delivery to client rather than enhancing work skills. Some law firms go to the extent of having training, seminars, and workshops for understanding about new/existing case laws, drafting skills, litigation skills etc that are essential for work product delivery. Yet there is a huge gap in understanding the need for IT training per se even by these law firms.
Let us take an example and look at an example scenario in a law firm. Each and every employee of the firm, except for admin staff, is required to update our IP management system. Yet there remains a glaring gap in what should be correct entries into the IP management system. Despite this, employees rely upon excel sheets generated from the same IP management system to comply with statutory time lines. Likewise, employees are required to save documents in Document Management System. Yet, no one knows what is the correct way of doing so. Trail and error methods are what everyone resorts to and sadly train their peers in same way.
So how should a law firm approach this or how should IT training be given in law firms? Just like different verticals, there should be a dedicated team for IT tools/solutions/ and training. This team is not the IT team that oversea installation of ones desktop, configures emails, and fights virus. This team is not the operations team. This is a team of business analysts and consultants whose KRAs are defined specifically for this particular purpose only. They would be gauging the skills of employees, give specific or generic training, take suggestions/feedback about streamlining the IT solutions, and work further. The lack of such team is what plagues law firms who often have high end and expensive Legal IT solutions but are still not able to fully utilize them. One can always have an external consulting firm to train the users. But a more sensible and value-for-money solution is having a dedicated team. A separate budget for IT training needs to be allocated and this team should be allowed to spend it to meet the business objectives in IT training just like any other training provided to employees.
Just like an orientation program and just after being assigned first assignment, this team would approach the new joiners to help them understand the various IT tools/solutions available in the firm from simple to complex and provide a training on them. This will free up the next cubicle employee from teaching the IT tools but rather can guide on firm's values or work details to new joiners.
As Neil has rightly pointed, law firms are not using their high end and expensive Legal IT solutions to their utmost capability due to lack of proper training. Just like having case laws training and other work related training, IT training should be made mandatory for every new joiner and periodic for every employee.
Feel free to drop your precious comments.
In simple terms what is the phrase "IT training for Law Firms" means? IT training encompasses training on all IT products from simple tools like word, excel to complex tools like case management and modelling tools (e.g.,Visio) for each and every user, irrespective of their level in the law firm.
But the point is even management at law firms is not willing enough to provide specific training to its users? The answer is a bold 'NO'. Unfortunately, law firms are more interested in only churning out work products for delivery to client rather than enhancing work skills. Some law firms go to the extent of having training, seminars, and workshops for understanding about new/existing case laws, drafting skills, litigation skills etc that are essential for work product delivery. Yet there is a huge gap in understanding the need for IT training per se even by these law firms.
Let us take an example and look at an example scenario in a law firm. Each and every employee of the firm, except for admin staff, is required to update our IP management system. Yet there remains a glaring gap in what should be correct entries into the IP management system. Despite this, employees rely upon excel sheets generated from the same IP management system to comply with statutory time lines. Likewise, employees are required to save documents in Document Management System. Yet, no one knows what is the correct way of doing so. Trail and error methods are what everyone resorts to and sadly train their peers in same way.
So how should a law firm approach this or how should IT training be given in law firms? Just like different verticals, there should be a dedicated team for IT tools/solutions/ and training. This team is not the IT team that oversea installation of ones desktop, configures emails, and fights virus. This team is not the operations team. This is a team of business analysts and consultants whose KRAs are defined specifically for this particular purpose only. They would be gauging the skills of employees, give specific or generic training, take suggestions/feedback about streamlining the IT solutions, and work further. The lack of such team is what plagues law firms who often have high end and expensive Legal IT solutions but are still not able to fully utilize them. One can always have an external consulting firm to train the users. But a more sensible and value-for-money solution is having a dedicated team. A separate budget for IT training needs to be allocated and this team should be allowed to spend it to meet the business objectives in IT training just like any other training provided to employees.
Just like an orientation program and just after being assigned first assignment, this team would approach the new joiners to help them understand the various IT tools/solutions available in the firm from simple to complex and provide a training on them. This will free up the next cubicle employee from teaching the IT tools but rather can guide on firm's values or work details to new joiners.
As Neil has rightly pointed, law firms are not using their high end and expensive Legal IT solutions to their utmost capability due to lack of proper training. Just like having case laws training and other work related training, IT training should be made mandatory for every new joiner and periodic for every employee.
Feel free to drop your precious comments.
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