A Brief Look at how the Digital Shift Will Shape Law Firm Services in the Years to Come
The digital transformation is affecting nearly every industry including the legal sector. Law firm services of the 80s and 90s are dramatically different than those provided today. These alterations are impacting attorneys as well as clients.
Tech Integration is Changing Legal Services
Technology is now being used to integrate attorneys with clients, court officials and other parties. It is now possible for multiple parties to modify documents and collaborate with one another through digital devices in real-time. Everything from the cloud to video conferencing and web-connected mobile computers are greasing the wheels of business in the legal industry and beyond. Integration is essential for systems as well as employees and law firms as a whole. After all, this is the information age; data has never been more important to a law firm’s success.
Let’s take a quick look at an example of the digital shift in the context of the legal industry. Consider a law firm that must extract information from numerous documents to make prudent decisions for improved efficiency. If this type of endeavor were attempted without the assistance of technology or the latest tech programs designed to ameliorate such challenges, the law firm would inevitably waste an abundance of time and resources. Such waste really is a significant competitive disadvantage.
The Client Experience in the Context of the Digital Transformation
Law firms that fail to make a seamless transition to the digital realm run the risk of straining client relations. Clients are looking for the most efficient law firm possible as legal services are billed in increments of time. The failure to automate repetitive tasks will make law firms less efficient and therefore less desirable to clients. The average client will not hesitate to jump ship for a more efficient law firm that ultimately provides more bang for the buck in as little time as possible.
The Digital Shift in the Context of Regulations
The digital transformation presents innumerable opportunities for legal practitioners to remain in full compliance with the latest regulations. A law firm that fails to adhere to these dynamic regulations runs the risk of fines, a diminished reputation in the community and the loss of essential clients. Alternatively, law firms that implement digital security protections such as multi-factor authentication, disk encryption and secure file transfers will find it much easier to comply with regulations.
Even if the law firm is not audited or otherwise reviewed for compliance with regulations, the ongoing implementation of improvements in digital security will make its legal services that much more attractive to prospective clients. The message is clear: attorneys who ignore the latest digital technology advances will be at a competitive disadvantage. Fail to adjust to these incredibly dynamic times and your law firm will gradually lose clients as well as employees.
