Indoctrination in the New Normal of WEXIS Legal Professional Services Business Model Must Start with Law School Students: The Case of LMO Marketing in the Legal Academy

When I first heard about Lexis for Microsoft Office (LMO), my initial reaction was OMG, what a waste of product development time. But my Lexis rep slapped some sense into me so I took a closer look (Thanks Wendy). I came to the realization that some of the premium features of LMO offer knowledge management capabilities many non-BigLaw firms cannot afford to create on their own. LMO still requires a commitment of in-house tech support time (and meeting tech spec requirements) but it may offer KM benefits to smaller firms, public agencies and state courts. Some are finding this to be the case.

However, I think we all know the best way to increase the adoption rate is to indoctrinate law school stduents. Here is where Lexis is clearly missing the mark. Lexis is pitching LMO to law profs. One local law prof asked me to guess the over-under for attendance at an LMO demo at his school. Interest was zero. Not a surprise.

If WEXIS wants to increase the adoption rate of its productivity apps, with or without online search tie-ins, it must make them available free of charge to law school students. LMO has many functions law students may find useful even if their profs don't. Then as law school grads filter into the real world, they will be receptive. Of course they won't have a clue about costs but then they don't have a clue about what very expensive online search costs either.

Indoctrination of law school students is a tried and true marketing tactic. With the hue and cry about teaching legal skills in the legal academy, WEXIS is missing a golden opportunity to pitch its legal professional services business products under the 21st century's new normal. [JH]