Many legal professionals are starting to adapt and evolve as technology does too. Both
large and solo practitioners have begun to change the way they interact with their clients, to not only deliver a more effective and quality product, but also save them time, energy, and money. The technology being used includes not only sophisticated workflow systems but suites of dedicated legal applications. These systems can support a wide variety of work including mergers and acquisitions, litigation, contracts, digital signatures, and e-billing.
Competition and changing client expectations are other important reasons, as technology
is already transforming the delivery of legal services. Indeed, the rate of change is of a
magnitude that could take many by surprise. New and emerging technologies also have the
potential to bridge some of the “access to justice gap” that is felt most keenly by disadvantaged people. For instance, those technologies can make it easier for people in rural, regional, and remote areas to contact a lawyer. Also of significant importance is the concept of mobility. In many facets of evolving technology, a critical factor is how mobile is it. The cell phone when it was first invented, was pretty big to be mobile. Fast forward twenty-plus years and the cell phone today can be brought anywhere. So too with the way technology is being used in the legal field. An attorney can simply use his legal software to pull up a client file while on the go. A client too, can pull up his or her file from anywhere in the world.
Levels of interaction with technology vary significantly across the profession and some
large corporations and law firms have been quick to take advantage of the growth in the legal technology market, inspired by the big savings that can come from economies of scale. In many areas, the cost of technology continues to decrease, meaning smaller firms can now access new and emerging technologies that historically would have required impossible capital outlays.
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, many legal professionals tapped into
these technologies to continue operating at full pace. Many legal software such as Clio, allow law firms to operate remotely as such platforms function as a type of digital office, storing client data, storing templates, and acting as a “one-stop shop” for client needs. There is data also to suggest that the more successful legal professionals are the ones who tap into these evolving technological trends. They are happy, and most importantly so are their clients.
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