dc.description.abstract | Global and national law firms alike operate in a challenging business environment
and managing the firm's information and knowledge assets is increasingly viewed as
a key factor in efficient legal service delivery. In legal practice, information
management technologies, for example intranets, portals, workflow management
systems, document and content management systems, case and project
management systems and online dispute resolution systems are becoming important
means of legal service delivery. The reason for applying information management
technologies and implementing knowledge management strategies in law firms is not
only to satisfy clients' growing need for a trusted online platform to interact with legal
service providers, but for law firms to capitalise on their intellectual assets, to
continuously modernise legal practice management, to empower lawyers, to
increase productivity, to use time efficiently, to transfer skills and knowledge from
senior to junior professionals, to improve service delivery and to gain competitive
advantage. This article firstly reviews the role of information and knowledge
management in providing an effective legal service to clients and compares foreign
and South African law firms' information management related contexts, challenges
and benefits. Secondly, it presents the findings of a survey conducted at South
African law firms based on their knowledge management practices. The aim of the
article is to provide insights into law firm knowledge management and its effect on
providing legal services in an online business environment. | en_US |