Dev Diary #4: Tapping Into Shared Expertise
Welcome back to the LawNetConnect Dev Diary, our behind-the-scenes look at the platform that’s transforming how LawNet members connect, collaborate, and grow.
In this edition, we’re exploring a feature designed to make knowledge-sharing easier, faster, and more valuable: Ask the Network.
Built for Collaboration
Across the LawNet community, there’s a wealth of knowledge, experience, and insight and Ask the Network is here to unlock it. This new feature makes it simple for members to post questions to their peer groups and receive answers directly within the LawNetConnect portal.
Whether it’s a technical legal query, a question about best practice, or a quick sense-check with others in similar roles, Ask the Network lets members tap into collective expertise.
How It Works
- Smart Targeting: When posting a question, users select one or more groups (e.g. Practice Management, Dispute Resolution) so that the right people see it.
- Optional Anonymity: Want to ask something without revealing your firm? No problem, anonymous posting is supported.
- Answering & Interaction: Responses can also be posted anonymously, and contributors can attach supporting documents.
- Notifications: Users can enable notifications to stay updated when new questions or answers are posted in their groups.
- Saved in the Knowledge Base: Every question and answer is stored, tagged, and searchable helping to build a lasting knowledge library.
Recognising Contributors
To encourage participation, we’ve added a simple gamification system:
- Members earn badges based on how many answers they’ve contributed.
- Badges appear on user profiles in the Member Directory, helping to highlight active contributors and promote trusted voices.
LawNet firms are already great at learning from one another, this feature simply makes that easier and more accessible. By surfacing common challenges and shared solutions, Ask the Network helps reduce duplication of effort, spark collaboration, and reinforce the value of being part of a connected legal community.