Law offices have been relying on technology since day 1. But long gone are the days of WordPerfect documents and a laser printer. Modern law offices have adopted practice and document management solutions and applications like Docusign have transformed the way clients provide sign-offs on contracts. Automated workflows make it simple for a law practice to route documents for review and then ensure that all appropriate parties receive copies when completed. Technology helps legal firms spend less time with basic administrative tasks and more time practicing law.
2020 saw the legal world make necessary shifts in communication. The virtual meeting became common and law offices adopted both text and video chat as ways to communicate internally. And while in-person meetings have and will continue to return, it’s likely that some clients will prefer the convenience of virtual appointments.
And modernization of the office phone system is also on the radar for many law firms. Integration with other platforms, like Microsoft’s Teams or practice management systems, will streamline communication. Some firms have even started using text messaging, integrated with their PMS, to communicate in a way that many of their clients want.
The 2020 seismic shift to remote work is also unlikely to be reset back to the days of everyone in the office every day. Tools and technologies that support this distributed workforce are key and enable law practices to rethink their own hiring and staffing practices to include the possibility of filling some roles with fully remote workers.
Law firms are on high alert for cybersecurity threats. With the prospect of losing protected client information and reputational damage, smart firms are putting effort into building up their cybersecurity defenses and training staff to avoid a breach. The landscape is changing quickly here and the tools and technology available are rapidly evolving.
Given the rapid shift to remote work and virtual client interactions combined with increased cybersecurity risks, it’s clear that forward-thinking law practices need to focus on strategic IT investments.
