Client expectations have shifted significantly in today’s technology-driven world. Quick communication and greater transparency are now a priority for clients throughout the entire case life cycle. This growing demand for tech-enhanced processes comes not only from clients but also from staff, and is set to rise even further as more advances become available.

If your firm is not tapping into the right legal tech tools, you might be overlooking opportunities for improved efficiency and success.

Technology Shaping The Future Of Law
A recent report from Gartner revealed that 66% of legal leaders intend to increase their investments in legal technology as a way to help manage workloads amid growing budget constraints.

I see the shift to cloud-based digital systems, especially for small and midsized law firms, as evening the playing field by providing access to robust tools that can aid legal services. Here are some examples of how legal professionals are leveraging tech every day:

• Cloud-based case management solutions. These help enhance productivity through collaboration tools and automated workflows while keeping data secure.
• E-discovery tools. These tools manage vast amounts of data and help speed up litigation processes.
• Artificial intelligence. AI has helped automate tasks for legal professionals including for case management, research, contract review and predictive analytics.

As a whole, I believe firms that are capitalizing on legal tech opportunities will be better positioned to meet today’s growing client expectations and drive business forward.

Fostering A Tech-Driven Culture
Law firms often experience roadblocks when implementing new technology, such as push back from employees or overspending on a solution that doesn’t meet their needs. Whether your firm is eager to adopt new tools or you’re experiencing some skepticism from staff, it’s important to prioritize addressing any potential challenges before investing in new technology.

Legal departments should ask themselves:

• What do our clients require and what can we do to exceed those expectations?
• What investments will help drive efficiency and performance to meet these needs?

This can help your firm focus on what to prioritize and shift away from solutions that don’t contribute to the bottom line. Next, here are a few initial steps your law firm can take to help foster a tech-friendly culture:

1. Prioritize security considerations when adopting new solutions.
2. Establish clear guidelines for the use of technology across your law firm.
3. Address resistance to change by reassuring staff that these tools are made to work in tandem with legal professionals, not to replace them.
4. Emphasize training and education offerings that will be provided to staff.
5. Highlight the long-term benefits of how technology will impact client service and profitability.

By focusing on these steps, firms can create a strategy around employee tech adoption. Then, you can set out to evaluate which tools to ultimately invest in.

Selecting The Right Legal Tools For Your Firm
Research from Gartner states that by 2025, legal departments are projected to increase their spend on technology threefold to help support workflows and meet productivity demands. As we see this increase in legal tech adoption unfold, it’s important for businesses to conduct a thorough assessment of their firm’s specific needs, goals and workflows for effective implementation.

To start this process, I recommend first identifying the specific challenges and opportunities within your firm that technology could address. This could range from case management to document automation to client interaction. Additionally, to help determine these needs, it can be helpful to conduct a workflow audit to determine inefficiencies in business operations.

Next, it is crucial to research and compare solutions that align with your firm’s needs, making sure they are reputable solutions within the legal tech space. When evaluating, consider factors like ease of use, security, scalability and integration capabilities with other systems. Include stakeholders such as attorneys and staff in the evaluation process to provide valuable insights and get employee buy-in.

Once you find the technology that aligns best with your firm’s overall objectives, your team must be trained properly and equipped with the knowledge and skills to utilize these tools effectively. This includes offering ongoing training and support or leveraging a cloud-based case management solution to provide this for you. Determine success metrics that can evaluate the effectiveness of the newly integrated technology and take a deeper look at its impact on firm-wide efficiency, client satisfaction and revenue.

Key Takeaways
The key to increasing legal tech adoption in your law firm lies in strong leadership support that fosters a culture that embraces innovation and clearly communicates the long-term benefits of technology for both efficiency and client success. By identifying the proper technology strategy that aligns with your business goals and delivers a better service to clients, your firm can gain a competitive edge in the industry.

Daniel Farrar