Knowledge combines data and information. It absorbs the potential provided by people's abilities, skills, competencies, ideas, deductions, intuitions, commitments and motivations. Knowledge is essential for creative problem-solving, action and adaptation. Knowledge management extends far beyond technology or computers. It is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge.
Knowledge management harnesses intellectual capital and knowledge assets.
Traditional legal knowledge categories include briefs, pleadings and collections of research memorandum. Records management track documents and data from cases and transactions. Document management systems, such as supported by DOCS Open or Lotus Notes technology, are making it easier to save and retrieve work in progress. Contact management tracks information for expert witnesses, litigation support services, judges' biographies, conferences, etc. Marketing data such as responses to request for proposal, policies, standard forms and other documents serve attorneys and their staff.