Evolving KM Episode 2: A Veteran Perspective - The Prophet of Profit

Welcome to another episode of Evolving KM, a podcast where we discuss how knowledge management is progressing and the impact that's having on KM professionals. In each episode, we interview people who have worked in or on the periphery of knowledge management and get their perspectives on how the profession is evolving to meet the shifting demands of legal service delivery. Be sure to follow the knowledge management category on ILTA Radio so you don't miss a thing, and contact us if you'd like to be interviewed for a future episode!

Our guest in this episode is Toby Brown, the Chief Practice Management Officer at Perkins Coie LLP. He parlayed an earlier KM role into a new pricing function, which opened the door to practice innovation, legal project management and process improvement. Listen as this "Prophet of Profit" discuss how KM and practice innovation drive (and are empowered by) a focus on profitability. Toby also talks about his work with the SALI (Standards Advancement for the Legal Industry) Alliance, which is a developing a standard taxonomy of matter types to facilitate improvements in budgeting and innovation.

Hosts: Gwyn McAlpine oversees the knowledge management program at Perkins Coie LLP, an international law firm with 1,000 lawyers in 19 offices. Gwyn's focus is on creating value for clients by enabling attorneys to practice law more efficiently and collaboratively. In addition to more traditional KM initiatives, KM at Perkins Coie includes library and research services, internal and external collaboration, and AI and expert systems. Gwyn practiced corporate law for 10 years before fully transitioning to knowledge management.

Amy Monaghan is the Practice Innovations Manager in the knowledge management group at Perkins Coie LLP. She works side-by-side with practice groups to further KM initiatives, particularly those involving artificial intelligence systems and other advanced technologies, such as document assembly, logic systems, workflow tools and contract analysis tools. Previously, Amy was in a similar role at Chapman and Cutler LLP.

Guest: Toby Brown is an active member and leader in organizations devoted to legal knowledge management, and he speaks to national audiences on legal pricing, alternative fee arrangements and other law firm financial management issues. He is the founder of the Legal Marketing Association's annual P3 Conference, which brings together over 400 pricing, project management and process improvement experts in the legal profession. Toby also co-founded the "3 Geeks and a Law" blog and co-authored the book, Law Firm Pricing: Strategies, Roles and Responsibilities. He is active on Twitter as @gnawledge and can be found on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tobinbrown.