This article refers to a case study where there is a pursuit to evidence the importance of the knowledge for the quality achievement in the organizational environment. The analysis referential is the Prêmio Nacional de Qualidade (1999) criteria and it refers to the training practice in a law firm specialized in Intellectual Property. The approach on Industrial Property Law in Law courses into Brazilian Universities appears to be still insufficient for the immediate practice by professionals in this field. The thorough and extensive knowledge over this particular area have usually been acquired into private Law offices specialized in this field. Due to the absence of a training and professional background development methodology in the referred case, one of its cells made use of the knowledge management as a tool for improving quality in rendering its services. The organization and the employees got the benefits from the initiative, but there were many obstacles that prevented the permanence of such program. This study relates the experience about the knowledge management that occurred in this organization, as well its consequences and opportunities for a change.
Quality; people management; knowledge management
