Do “They” Know You Exist? Marketing Library & Information Services in Law Firms Part III: Branding

By Becky Bowman and Stuart Zimmerman | Feit Consulting

In this three part series, we have been examining ways information professionals can demonstrate their value.  As talk of a 2020 recession continues and as firm leadership feels the pinch of expenses outpacing revenue as we come to the end of 2019, cost centers like your firm’s library become even more scrutinized than normal.   

Part I focused on how information professionals can work with their attorneys to show that business value; in Part II, we looked at demonstrating value to firm leadership.  In this final piece, we look at branding your firm’s information services.

Branding is another tool to help build the profile of the library/information services department.  Consider developing a departmental logo. Use logos liberally to brand communications, deliverables, and web resources coming from the library.  If you are lucky, the firm’s graphic designers may be able to craft something that ties in with the firm’s logo.  Appearance matters here – brand all of the work products that have been touched in some way by the library or research department.

Law firm departments tend to become siloed, so it is key to ensure your material is branded to reinforce the value your department provides.  It is all about keeping the name of the library/information services department top of mind.  If your colleagues are actively aware of the departments value, you are one step ahead of the game and standing out – but be consistent.

Branding involves building blocks and consistency is the foundation.  For this is to take off you need to ensure your team is aware of the goals and process. Librarians are the brand ambassadors of the legal information services department and it takes a unified village to meet your goals.

Marketing plays a huge part in how we present ourselves to the firm and how “they” see our value. It is all about realizing the opportunities and build in ways to routinely tell stories of success, backed with meaningful metrics. Make sure that firm leadership knows the value that the library brings to the firm!

Did you know?   Feit Consulting offers Contemporary Library Solutions, examining and recommending changes to save the firm/organization money, improve efficiencies, and maximize utilization of resources. Contact Feit Consulting today to set up a free consultation on modernizing your Law Library.

About the Author

Becky Bowman, Law Library Consultant Becky served as the Chief Research and Information Analysis Officer for Am Law 100 firm, Baker Donelson for 32 years where she ultimately led a team of 5 to serve 750+ attorneys across 23 domestic locations. Becky’s accomplishments at Baker were multiple, including transforming the library from print to digital, overseeing the efficient combination of 15 mergers and acquisitions of library materials, and successfully rebranding her department, and achieving buy-in from key stakeholders. Her exceptional experience is invaluable for clients as they assess the actual total cost and value of their library and research department including current print and digital collections, vendor contracts, as well as consider cultural and workflow disruptions or benefits in moving to an outsourcing vendor.

About the Author

Stuart Zimmerman, Law Library ConsultantStuart provides strategic input on library and research services in large law firms with a focus on library audits, the development of best practices for the delivery of library services, and the implementation of new generations of digital resources for research and library administration. Stuart brings more than 25 years of law library experience both in law firms and public law libraries. Prior to joining Feit Consulting, Stuart was Director of Research and Information Services for Davis Wright Tremaine LLP where he transformed a patchwork of individual law office libraries into a coordinated, efficient, contemporary, firm-wide library system providing high-quality research and library services across nine offices.

The Importance of Lexis’ and Westlaw’s Ancillary Products

By Michael Feit | Feit Consulting

Earlier this year when pulling together the data for our 2019 Optimizing Legal Information Pricing book, we noticed a trend across our AmLaw 200 segment.  Some of our most impactful dimensions – Market Power, Penetration, and Importance–resulted in a nearly identical “Top 4” ranking among Lexis and Westlaw ancillary products, 3 of which fall to Lexis currently (Law360, ALM, NYTimes/WSJ) and just one (Practical Law) under Westlaw.  Only in the importance ranking does Intelligize bump the NYTimes/WSJ Lexis ancillary product out of the top 4.

Take a look at the details of the top-ten products in our charts below:

As vendors drive tougher bundling packages, particularly for Lexis, the stickiness of the ancillary products is proving to be a key factor in retention.

Do “They” Know You Exist? Marketing Library & Information Services in Law Firms Part II: Firm Leadership

By Becky Bowman and Stuart Zimmerman | Feit Consulting

In part I of this series, we considered that as expenses outpace revenue as we come to the end of 2019, increased scrutiny will fall upon information professionals to demonstrate the business value of their services to the firm.  Part I focused on how information professionals can work with their attorneys to show that business value.  Here in Part II, we will look through the lens of firm leadership.

Firm leadership will be most cognizant of the tightening margins resulting from expense growth and will be keen to understand cost-efficiencies and returns on investment.  At the same time, however, firm leadership also feels the tremendous competitive pressures in the market to win and retain talent. 

There were nearly 9,000 lateral partner moves* within the AmLaw 200 in the five-year-span from 2014 through 2018, bringing an estimated $17.1 billion in total business with them. The lateral market is so fluid, nearly half of all partners are up for grabs at all times.

For firm leadership, value is tied to the bottom line and communications should focus on metrics that tell the story of how the library contributed to the firm’s success in identifying and winning new business, as well as recruiting and retaining talent. There are several ways to do this.

Annual Reports – Highlight successes of the past  year and outline focus for the coming year. Use annual reports to show year-over-year trends, highlight new resources, technologies and initiatives coming from the library.

Utilization – Usage reports for online resources are key for identifying heavily used and valued resources and services. Sort reference statistics by practice group and compare them against expenses and revenue.

Billing/Revenue – Capture and report all billables coming from the library on a regular basis.

Trumpet successes –  Find your supporters and amplify their voices through testimonials and peer-to-peer conversations.

Data Visualization – Employ techniques to make data easy to digest and illustrate the story. Take care that the information provided supports the message of value provided by the library.

In part III, we will shift the lens and consider how better branding can demonstrate the value of your firm’s information services.  Stay tuned! 

Did you know?   Feit Consulting offers Contemporary Library Solutions, examining and recommending changes to save the firm/organization money, improve efficiencies, and maximize utilization of resources. Contact Feit Consulting today to set up a free consultation on modernizing your Law Library.

About the Author

Becky Bowman, Law Library Consultant Becky served as the Chief Research and Information Analysis Officer for Am Law 100 firm, Baker Donelson for 32 years where she ultimately led a team of 5 to serve 750+ attorneys across 23 domestic locations. Becky’s accomplishments at Baker were multiple, including transforming the library from print to digital, overseeing the efficient combination of 15 mergers and acquisitions of library materials, and successfully rebranding her department, and achieving buy-in from key stakeholders. Her exceptional experience is invaluable for clients as they assess the actual total cost and value of their library and research department including current print and digital collections, vendor contracts, as well as consider cultural and workflow disruptions or benefits in moving to an outsourcing vendor.

About the Author

Stuart Zimmerman, Law Library ConsultantStuart provides strategic input on library and research services in large law firms with a focus on library audits, the development of best practices for the delivery of library services, and the implementation of new generations of digital resources for research and library administration. Stuart brings more than 25 years of law library experience both in law firms and public law libraries. Prior to joining Feit Consulting, Stuart was Director of Research and Information Services for Davis Wright Tremaine LLP where he transformed a patchwork of individual law office libraries into a coordinated, efficient, contemporary, firm-wide library system providing high-quality research and library services across nine offices.

Collection Re-balancing Part II: Facilitating the Move from Print to Digital in Law Firm Libraries and Information Services

By Becky Bowman and Stuart Zimmerman | Feit Consulting

In part I of this 2-part report, we looked at the drive to enhance digitization and provided some top reasons, challenges and paths to success. 

In part II, we drill down into some details as how to approach print reduction strategically—as well as a few reality checks that can be helpful along the way.

What to cut? How to decide?

The determination of which print resources are ripe for online replacement begins with an examination of current print spend by vendor in tandem with a review of online holdings. A tracking spreadsheet [sample below] is a useful tool for this process.

      Sample tracking spreadsheet 

Most firms will find that the bulk of their print spend is with some combination of the big four vendors; Thomson Reuters, Lexis, Bloomberg and Wolters Kluwer. Each of these vendors offers robust online services that include the majority of their print publications.

Using Resource Types [see box below] as a rough guide, calculate and plot the cancellation potential (high or low) of each title on the spreadsheet which, when sorted, will surface those titles with high potential for cancellation. Continue working down the list of print by vendor, reviewing online options and plotting cancellation potential. Not every print resource has a digital equivalent.

Licensing terms can vary greatly from vendor to vendor. Make sure that contracts/licenses are adequate to cover all who need access to each resource. Identify gaps in online content and/or any material contract limitations and see if there is a need to expand current contracts or purchase additional licenses.

Once the list of titles with high cancellation potential has been generated and the online alternatives identified and vetted the emphasis moves to a communication campaign to reach users who will be impacted by the elimination of those print resources with high cancellation potential.

Many users will be fine with the move to online and some will express concerns. Listen carefully while making final determinations. This is an excellent time to learn how resources are being used, and the value these resources bring to the firm, directly from the end-users themselves.

Reality Checks

• The process of reducing print involves series of compromises and occasional hard decisions to navigate sometimes-competing goals. Be flexible and pick your battles.
• Not everything needed is available online and just because something is available online doesn’t mean that it is accessible. Costs, inflexible licensing terms, and incompatible technologies can thwart the best plans.
• It is not uncommon for firms to increase spending on digital media in order to realize print-cutting goals. Review budget impacts of needed contract changes, additional licenses, etc.

• When needed publications are not available in digital/online formats, options are fairly limited; purchase and maintain print or rely on third-party sources.

• Firms will need the flexibility to accommodate some print to achieve maximum efficiency.  

Conclusion

While there will never be a completely paper-free library, law firms are realizing good success in rebalancing their collections and actively managing the usage of online and digital resources while reducing their reliance on print to best fit their specific goals.

Feit Consulting offers Contemporary Library Solutions, reviewing law library operations and assessing collections to identify opportunities to improve utilization of information resources, maximize efficiencies and improve ROI.

 Contact Feit Consulting today to set up a free consultation

About the Author

Becky Bowman, Law Library Consultant Becky served as the Chief Research and Information Analysis Officer for Am Law 100 firm, Baker Donelson for 32 years where she ultimately led a team of 5 to serve 750+ attorneys across 23 domestic locations. Becky’s accomplishments at Baker were multiple, including transforming the library from print to digital, overseeing the efficient combination of 15 mergers and acquisitions of library materials, and successfully rebranding her department, and achieving buy-in from key stakeholders. Her exceptional experience is invaluable for clients as they assess the actual total cost and value of their library and research department including current print and digital collections, vendor contracts, as well as consider cultural and workflow disruptions or benefits in moving to an outsourcing vendor.

About the Author

Stuart Zimmerman, Law Library ConsultantStuart provides strategic input on library and research services in large law firms with a focus on library audits, the development of best practices for the delivery of library services, and the implementation of new generations of digital resources for research and library administration. Stuart brings more than 25 years of law library experience both in law firms and public law libraries. Prior to joining Feit Consulting, Stuart was Director of Research and Information Services for Davis Wright Tremaine LLP where he transformed a patchwork of individual law office libraries into a coordinated, efficient, contemporary, firm-wide library system providing high-quality research and library services across nine offices.

Agnostic Approach to Legal Information Management

By Michael Feit | Feit Consulting

Collection Re-balancing Part I: Facilitating the Move from Print to Digital in Law Firm Libraries and Information Services

By Becky Bowman and Stuart Zimmerman | Feit Consulting

Introduction

The competitive need for digitization has intensified across all industries—and this need is not sparing the legal industry.  If it’s any solace, it is not just law firms that are feeling the pressure of change.In this two-part series, we outline the primary points to consider when rebalancing the print/digital ratio of a law firm library collection, along with an approach to analyzing current print spend to identify titles with the highest potential for cancellation.

Reasons for reducing print

• Reduce library footprint – Print libraries require lots of space which is expensive in law firms.
• Eliminate duplication – Online services, especially from the big four legal vendors, typically include the same or comparable information online as in their print publications.
• Reduce environmental impact – The production and shipment of print products increases firms’ carbon footprints.
• Serve users in multiple locations – Multiple print copies are expensive; online easier to share/scale across large operations.
• Reduce upkeep costs – Print requires upkeep including ordering, receiving, processing and maintenance.
• Increase efficiency – Digital resources offer search and collaboration features that can improve research and project efficiency.

Challenges in reducing print

• Attorney preference/resistance to change – Attorneys are famously change-averse, especially if they see change as an imposition with no benefit to them. 
• Licensing terms & costs – Contracts may need to be expanded and/or additional licensing purchased to ensure access and compliance to digital resources. Ability to negotiate new or alternative terms varies widely by vendor.

• Existing print commitments – Contracts that commit firm to purchasing a set level of print in exchange for discounts may limit options for reducing print.

• Market instability – Increased competition between information vendors is resulting in market instability. Firms without access to one or more of the big four may need to purchase essential products in print in the absence of online access. Some vendors are tying essential/popular products to contracts for their online services thereby complicating choices.

Paths to Success

• Communication is key to success. Seek input from print users while working through the process.
• Leadership backing is critical. Firm leaders must be prepared to help make and communicate difficult decisions and manage reluctant lawyers.
• Use as champions those attorneys already successfully using digital resources. Get testimonials, have them promote resources at practice group meetings, etc. Word-of-mouth campaigns can be very effective complements to other marketing efforts.
• It is important to consider the firm’s online billing policies and practices and make any adjustments that may be needed.
• Review firm’s practices and policies around office copies. Office copies are frequently heavily used for practice efficiency giving them a lower potential for elimination.
• Prepare to transition print users to online alternatives. Make plans for impacted users to access new resources, including links, passwords, and training.
• Follow up with key users in the weeks and months after implementation. Address issues and work to resolve them.

In part II, we drill down into some details as how to approach print reduction strategically—as well as a few reality checks that can be helpful along the way.

About the Author

Becky Bowman, Law Library Consultant Becky served as the Chief Research and Information Analysis Officer for Am Law 100 firm, Baker Donelson for 32 years where she ultimately led a team of 5 to serve 750+ attorneys across 23 domestic locations. Becky’s accomplishments at Baker were multiple, including transforming the library from print to digital, overseeing the efficient combination of 15 mergers and acquisitions of library materials, and successfully rebranding her department, and achieving buy-in from key stakeholders. Her exceptional experience is invaluable for clients as they assess the actual total cost and value of their library and research department including current print and digital collections, vendor contracts, as well as consider cultural and workflow disruptions or benefits in moving to an outsourcing vendor.

About the Author

Stuart Zimmerman, Law Library ConsultantStuart provides strategic input on library and research services in large law firms with a focus on library audits, the development of best practices for the delivery of library services, and the implementation of new generations of digital resources for research and library administration. Stuart brings more than 25 years of law library experience both in law firms and public law libraries. Prior to joining Feit Consulting, Stuart was Director of Research and Information Services for Davis Wright Tremaine LLP where he transformed a patchwork of individual law office libraries into a coordinated, efficient, contemporary, firm-wide library system providing high-quality research and library services across nine offices.