Understanding the legal content lifecycle
The document discusses the legal content lifecycle and its importance. It is comprised of three parts - work in progress, knowledge, and records. Failure to have clear procedures on version control during work in progress can lead to editing the wrong document or producing an unvetted final document, exposing the firm to risk. For knowledge, full-text search is not very useful if templates use common words and documents are not properly profiled. Regarding records, without good management clients own most of the file, and the firm cannot implement retention policies or satisfy client requirements, potentially resulting in malpractice or sanctions. The document urges understanding this lifecycle to increase lawyer productivity and decrease firm risk exposure.
Understanding the legal content lifecycle
- 1. Understanding the Legal Content Lifecycle And why thats important
- 2. If you understand the basic lifecycle of legal content . . . and the unintended consequences that often arise during that cycle . . .
- 3. , , , youll find that your lawyers are more productive and your firm is less exposed to risk.
- 4. Legal content lifecycle Three parts that form a continuum of closely related content LEGAL CONTENT LIFECYCLE
- 5. Work in progress The practice of law is primarily about the creation of documents
- 6. Unintended consequence The failure to have clear procedures on version control can lead to: Editing the wrong document Producing a final document that has not been fully vetted Exposing the firm to potential malpractice.
- 7. Knowledge Much of the firms knowledge is captured in Prior work product Practice area templates as well as Practice notes Notes on case law Client advisory Checklists http://
- 8. Unintended consequence Full-text search isnt very useful Templates and prior work product often use the same words No incentive to profile documents Typical DMS profile is document or miscellaneous neither facilitates searches
- 9. Records All the final documents the firm generates grouped according to type: Client documents Received letters, email Pleadings filed by the other side Documents filed by the other side Agreements and drafts Court orders Other govt documents Research
- 10. Unintended consequence Clients own most of the file. Without good records management: Firm cannot implement retention policies internally Firm will be unable to satisfy client requirements for retention on their content Failure to comply with either can result in malpractice or sanctions for spoliation of data
- 11. How well do you understand the legal content lifecycle? Is your firm experiencing any of these unintended consequences? LEGAL CONTENT LIFECYCLE
- 12. LEARN MORE Printable brief: Understanding the Legal Content Lifecycle 際際滷share: Matter Centricity 101 際際滷share: Rethinking Matter Centricity