As with any other industry, the legal sector has changed drastically as a result of technological development. The speed at which new technologies are being introduced is pushing law firms to find new ways to stay operational and grow.
It’s not an easy task, since law firms are facing the challenge of becoming more profitable while simultaneously addressing the demands of clients, who now expect a faster service without breaking the bank.
To survive the current climate, every law firm should look towards the following tech to improve its workflow and client experience:
1. Cloud-based law practice management software
Owing to their easy accessibility options and smaller operating costs, cloud-based law practice management software has proven to be superior to many on-premise solutions.
Moving completely into the digital space gives your employees constant access to all important documents, contacts, and other important information that has been stored in a secure cloud. All the data is synced and updated across the board, making remote working efficient and safe.
This particular software is also scalable, allowing you to choose features based on your needs. So if your priority is future-proofing your law firm, then a cloud-based solution might be something you need sooner rather than later.
Regardless of the size of your law firm, investing in a law practice management solution will help you stay flexible and adapt to any new trends that might become relevant in the future – all the while meeting client expectations for faster service.
The most popular options in 2021 are Clio and MyCase.
2. Legal document software
Saving time by fixing inefficient workflows is a great way to keep up with the competition as it amps up productivity. One of the easiest ways to streamline your workflow is to simplify document review and creation – the processes famous for being time-consuming.
Manually reviewing and editing your documents can present a bottleneck in your workflow, so it’s useful to consider using a technological solution to speed up this process.
Loio legal document software, for example, uses machine learning to automatically pick out important information from your text. This makes editing and double-checking legal documents a non-issue while also saving you time by helping make quick changes to the numbering and styling of your text.
We also suggest automating your document creation. Automated legal document software allows you to easily generate legal documents by entering your client’s information into a template and letting the software automatically fill out the necessary fields.
For automated document creation and assembly, you can use Legito or Smokeball.
3. Chatbots
The most accessible technology you can introduce to make communication with your clients more user-friendly and interactive is Chatbots.
These computer programs can answer your potential clients’ queries, respond to complaints, and collect client information through the Internet, allowing lawyers to be familiar with a case well before a potential meeting.
Chatbots can also help you cut down on cost and time by making client intake a faster and smoother process. Your clients will appreciate the timely and intuitive way chatbots handle their queries and gather information.
Scheduling appointments is also easily accomplished, without involving secretaries or lawyers in this activity, freeing them up to focus on more serious tasks.
4. Legal research software
If you want to save tons of time and ultimately give your clients the best service, you should consider improving the way you conduct legal research.
The traditional method of using specific, complex search queries while looking for information in online legal databases has often yielded mixed results.
There was always a high chance of a search coming up with large amounts of unnecessary data irrelevant to your case. Naturally, you would lose time checking these case files before eventually finding the one you need.
This problem was solved by the introduction of AI-powered natural language processing (NLP).
Legal research software that uses NLP helps simplify the way you search for relevant information by using normal language while looking up case files. The software uses your particular query while also taking into account similar queries to predict exactly what you want to find.
With that in mind, the most popular legal research tool is Westlaw, since it also provides access to the biggest collection of legal information. Another great option you can consider is Lexis Advance.
Innovating is a continuous process
The adoption of new technology is never going to be a process that contains an end date. Even though the use of legal technology is gaining traction, it’s still far from ideal compared to other industries.
Choosing a cloud-based solution, in conjunction with legal document software, legal research tools, and chatbots will go a long way in improving your workflow. It will make you much more prepared for an uncertain future where legal services might become even cheaper, and clients might become even more demanding.
It’s up to you to decide the path you want to take. Will you fight change, or embrace it?