5 Tips on Bridging the Technology Gap in the Legal Industry

ATLANTA — though technology is everyplace in our personal lives, it looks that a lot of attorneys arreluctant or unsure the way to implement solutions inside their law companies or legal departments. Some companies have purchased systems however don't use the software package to its full potential or maybethe least bit.

In a new Evolve Law series of events, we have a tendency to wished to handle this apparent disconnect with a workshop that will demonstrate the way to shut that gap, define functions and options of variousinnovative solutions and raise feedback. the primary Bridging the Gap event happened in Atlanta late last month, wherever we have a tendency to mentioned observe management, document automation and consumer relationship management also because the use of social media.

Five tips from our speakers

Natalie Kelly, Director of the State Bar of Georgia practice Management Program, come into being the evening with a five-minute Darwin speak on legal technology inside her state. In her role, she oversees technology consultationstolawyers; but,there ar solely around fifty consultations delivered every year, and therefore the bar has quite thirty eight,000 members. Resources for lawyers outside of the state bars embrace the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center and inquiring for facilitate from inside the profession.

Natalie’s tip: simply keep swimming with regard to technology adoption or alternative words, embrace it.

Jennifer Downs of combination Law mentioned however lawyers will leverage social media and clientrelationship management systems that integrate with lawyer progress systems to cultivate relationships by building trust. let's say, with seventy nine of all adults on Facebook, several can see your law firm’s page there before seeing your web site. though a lesser variety ar on Twitter (closer to 25%), however there ar a stunning variety of lawyers interacting thereon platform therefore it’s price finding out.

Jennifer’s tip: Any try at social media ought to be for three-to-six months as a result of it’s a long-runstrategy.

Matt St. John from Thomson Reuters shared some stunning findings from its 2016 State of tiny Law survey. in a very shell, the survey reports that whereas law companies according seven challenges — together with needing a lot of shoppers; price control; an excessive amount of time on body tasks; and clients stringent a lot of for fewer — quite 0.5 the companies surveyed aren't addressing these pain points. A legal observe management system that integrates with activity, billing, accounting and provides a consumer payment and document portal also as analysis permits law companies to change their progress. Matt explained that one among the savings from technology is avoiding the value of printing — calculable at $1,250 for reproducing a banker box of discovery materials. additionally, the common document is derived seventeen times inside the law firm! Cloud-based observe management provides potency associate degreed frees up the attorney to observe law and provides an improved consumer expertise.

Matt’s tip: begin along with your biggest pain purpose — whether or not it’s new shoppers, an excessive amount of administration, or high prices — as a result of bear in mind that half the companies aren’t doing something to vary or address these challenges.

Yuri Eliezer of Client side designed upon Matt’s theme by discussing the categories of legal administration or repetitive tasks that may be automatic, together with engagement letters, questionnaires, forms and documents that each one may be signed victimization e-signature. Rather than gazing these tasks from the executive or lawyer’s purpose of read, think about the primary impression that's created on a consumer. Nobody needs to begin a legal or relationship with you by printing, signing, scanning and mailing or emailing documents and a check once there's technology to try to these repetitive body tasks. Sign language documents with multiple parties will take quite associate degree hour and need follow-up, whereas electronic signatures may be done at the same time. Folks have return to expect technology which will change their business expertise and therefore the law isn't any exception.

Yuri’s tip: Automation of any system can scale back steps and errors, increase speed of delivery and improve consumer happiness.

I delivered the closing five-minute Darwin speak that inspired lawyers to treat their companies just like the business that it's and use metrics, love time-savings or quality enhancements, to come to a decision technology purchases. Lawyers have to be compelled to be selective in purchases, being attentive to information migration and therefore the ability to demo or check the software package.

My tip: Lawyers have to be compelled to pause before investment in technology and live the potential come back on investment, guaranteeing that any new platforms work inside (or at a minimum share data with) existing systems.

Technology will offer leverage and scale back the executive burden. Be inquisitive about however your observe will incessantly improve and make the most of the innovation on the market.