Hélène Russell trained as a lawyer, practising in PI and Clinical Negligence with Beachcroft and Bevan Brittan respectively, and later took on Bevan Brittan's PSL role. She is now a non-practising solicitor and knowledge management consultant specialising in the legal sector.
Russell has been involved in various KM initiatives and draws on this experience to create the Handbook.
In the current climate increased competition in the legal marketplace, commoditisation and clients seeking to achieve fixed fees has resulted in pressure on law firm profits. Knowledge is a major asset every law firm has and this book explores the methods and means to leverage it and gain value from it for the benefit of the lawyers and the firm.
It is important to recognise that this is not an academic text but intended to be a companion, a source of ideas, and down-to-earth advice. If you are looking to understand the main elements of KM and how to apply it to your work, then look no further. This book is laid out in a readable, easy to follow and practical manner to help and inspire you along the way. Read it cover to cover or dip in when you need, to assist with your work or to help with the next stage of your plan.
Russell sees the target audience as a new Head of Knowledge at a mid-sized regional law firm, most likely a partner who is new to KM and trying to see through KM glasses. Another key reader could potentially be a new PSL, working alone in a department looking to gain some ideas and develop strategies to best support colleagues with limitations of resource and budget.
Those professionals working in other areas of the law firm may also gleen key ideas to identify ways they can connect with lawyers through KM, finding new channels to demonstrate their professional value and business understanding.
Covering all bases from the main KM concepts, definitions and names-to-know are included, along with a little bit of history to provide a context. The neat little summaries provided make a useful source of reference. Throughout, examples and tried and tested advice from experts in the market place can assist in shaping your thoughts and ideas.
There are several very useful chapters defining KM, creating a KM strategy, what the benefits can be, and explaining how to manage knowledge. For the reader each chapter is manageable with a few key take-away points to consider and apply to the work in hand. No doubt any initiative tackled will throw up lots of challenges and questions which cannot be addressed by the Handbook, but all of the key components which need to be considered are outlined to assist and shape thinking.
In my opinion one of the most important chapters in the book is the value and measurement of KM. As with any business focussed initiative it is crucial to establish what the tangible benefits can be and how these will be established and measured. Within the professional services arena KM benefits are often intangible, or at least the tangibles are complicated to measure. This chapter addresses some of the main questions which can help the reader to inform their ‘measurement’ thinking, keeping things simple and measuring to inform decision making, rather than for the sake of it.
For me the message of the book is try something simple and build on it. This title has real repeat visit value accompanied by some golden nuggets of advice to help the reader keep it simple… and achievable.
