June 24, 2022
Torys chief knowledge and innovation officer Sukesh Kamra spoke with Law.com to discuss the role of knowledge management lawyers in today’s environment.
“The need for knowledge management lawyers was ‘heightened’ during the pandemic. Previously a law clerk or junior associate would have provided most of the legal support but knowledge management lawyers are being called upon more and more,” he said.
Knowledge management lawyers are now being asked to educate the lawyers on substantive law topics, on the legal tech and process improvement methodologies to create efficiencies in the practice.
The number one change Sukesh saw during the pandemic was a change in lawyers' mindset that created an environment where the knowledge management and innovation teams could flourish.
“Lawyers were basically looking at this and saying, we need to start thinking differently. We need to start changing some of our behaviors to accommodate for new working styles," he added.
Necessity, of course, required lawyers to adopt new practices and ways of knowledge sharing that also led to more creativity and “an openness” to the broader use of legal technologies and software, particularly by more senior partners.
"Prior to the pandemic, there was always this sort of unwritten rule that associates are going to leverage the knowledge management function more than partners," he said.
Sukesh told Law.com that at Torys the mindset of the partnership is that investment in knowledge management is necessary because it's the wave of the future.
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