The ever-evolving technology landscape has produced a host of tools and products that have changed the way work is done in a number of professions, increasing both productivity and profits.
But the legal sector has failed to adapt to the current trends, remaining a step behind and entrenched for the most part in traditional modes of working.
Law firms, especially in this age of increased competition, can stand to benefit significantly if they begin to adopt new technologies. Some of these include portable devices, cloud based services and social media.
Smartphones and tablets have revolutionized personal computing but their ease of access and instant connectivity can be boons for the legal profession as well. These devices allow professionals to stay connected even when they are outside the office, allowing them to be ever ready to service their clients as and when the need arises.
By embracing, instead of shunning, the use of these devices in professional spaces, firms can not only help increase both responsiveness and availability but also enhance flexibility in the profession.
Cloud based document services can also be a valuable additional to the law workspace. They are a great tool for storing the extensive information that law firms typically deal while also ensuring they are quick to access and are always available for employees who need them.
Coupled with latest software developments in search and organisation, they can significantly reduce the time that is spent in identifying important points for cases amongst the vast troves of data available, while avoiding the hassle that comes with poring through reams and reams of paper based storage.
Alongside improvements in the work space, technology in the form of social media can also help in increasing the reach of a firm and attracting new clients. The virtues of social media in advertising and promotion are for all to see and so by constructing well thought out social platforms that put forth distinctly a firm’s identity and strengths, law firms can tap into the market more widely than traditional means.
With clients demanding ever more from their lawyers both in terms of work produced and value for money, the legal profession stands to benefit by looking carefully into changing their work practices and adopting better technological resources.