Best Practices & Management Strategies for Law Firm Library & Information Service Centers

Dear Colleague,

These are not just changing times – but perhaps the most challenging period the legal profession has ever faced. The industry is on the brink of fundamental transformation as law firms seek new ways to deliver legal services and grow revenue in the face of the most difficult business environment in decades. There is little doubt that a new era in law firm management is at hand – as library and information service professionals strategically position themselves within this new paradigm.

There has already been a seismic change in law librarianship. And change is propelling librarians forward in a world where they must adapt to new ways of thinking about the information over which they are stewards.

Today’s law firm library is an integral and integrated component of the firm – effectively supporting both the business and practice of law. Embracing a broader view of their professional roles, librarians are helping to re-engineer their firm’s knowledge-sharing environments, positioning the library as more of a strategic knowledge resource with greater implications, firm-wide – increasing your organization’s ability to take effective action, compete and survive.

Ark Group/Managing Partner Magazine’s 4th annual forum, Best Practices & Management Strategies for Law Firm Library & Information Service Centers will once again provide a unique opportunity for meaningful dialogue in an intimate setting – with an undiminished focus placed on extensive audience participation. This year’s esteemed speaking faculty represents a myriad of perspectives and is truly a group of highly skilled and experienced professionals who know the industry and the subject.

As leaders and managers within the profession, several key questions need to be addressed—

• Is your firm’s library proactively serving the business and the practice of the firm?
• As information professionals, how do you support (or even drive) the coordination and optimization of knowledge within your firm?
• Can the law firm library and information services help enable new economic models?
• In this new paradigm, are you leveraging the skills and expertise of the law firm library to assist in the development and creation of new (value or alternative) billing strategies?

It is a given that the role of today’s law firm librarian must continually evolve to meet various new technological, marketing and business development challenges. As we continue to face these challenges in an ever-shifting market—where competitive forces, new media and information technologies are re-sculpting law firms—we must also be willing and able to wear the hat of a business manager. In the pursuit of excellence in this new economy there exists a very real opportunity for the library to leverage skills and expertise in a continuing effort to improve upon the business model of the modern law firm.

We sincerely hope you’ll join us this year in New York as we put our heads together and collectively identify business opportunities within the firm that not only help lawyers practice more efficiently and effectively, but also deliver more value to the firm’s clients.

Reserve your seat at the table today…