The breakneck speed at which technological and digital evolution has happened, it’s no wonder that major aspects of our lives have irrevocably transformed, including the way we conduct business.
Legal services, traditionally known for being slow, tedious and complicated, are now a transformed entity thanks to the adoption of technology. Technical and software providers offer a range of specially designed applications to modernise legal work and ensure cost-effectiveness, compliance and collaboration.
Leading firms like Zenco Legal specialise in offering affordable and professional services to clients across the UK. Whether clients need to create wills, assign a power of attorney or set up trusts, everything can be done online with simple, easy-to-navigate digital platforms.
Let’s look at some of the defining trends that have transformed how legal offices work.
Table of Contents
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) takes the top spot to redefine the legal services landscape. AI can be adapted to streamline tasks that otherwise take up several hours of a lawyer’s time, resulting in higher billable hours for the client.
Repetitive tasks such as form filling, contract drafting, analysing data and providing valuable information are some tasks that can be entrusted to AI. For example, AI can skim through vast amounts of data in the form of case law and precedents in a few minutes- a task which would take several hours.
Lawyers can then focus their energy and skills on productive tasks such as strategising, negotiation, and advocacy. This benefits the clients in terms of faster and more affordable legal services.
2. Importance of Cyber Security
Data privacy and security are paramount for every business and individual. However, with legal firms, it’s central to their operations. Due to the highly personal and sensitive data entrusted to them, it becomes critical that legal firms employ the latest technology to safeguard their data.
Any breach in a cyber security system can result in data theft, leaving the client vulnerable to harassment or blackmail. Law firms invest in technologies such as two-factor authentication, data encryption, and security audits to ensure complete confidentiality of the stored data. Client trust is the heart and soul of legal firms, and ironclad cyber security measures ensure continued client loyalty and assurance.
3. Better Cloud Management
Document management and seamless collaboration are key to efficiently operating a legal business. Lawyers and clients can share data and information over the cloud in real time, without sending innumerable emails.
Cloud hosting platforms enjoy robust data security protocols, ensuring not only scalable but highly secure storage for sensitive client data. Legal firms have overcome their reluctance to move to the cloud. With reputed providers like Microsoft offering secure applications like Office 365, more legal work is getting done efficiently over the cloud.
4. Legal Case Management Software
Law firms need clearly defined protocols for handling case files, client communications, scheduling and billing. Legal case management (LCM) software provides a centralised platform for effectively managing the casework.
The advent of cutting-edge technologies has created faster, more intelligent and intuitive LCM software that can easily integrate with other applications and streamline every aspect of the legal processes.
Legal firms can administer tasks and track cases with a single click, save time, and reduce the possibility of human error. Professional case management also translates into transparent legal services and allows lawyers to focus on important legal work.
5. Virtual and Mobile Services
Virtual legal services have enabled lawyers to expand their reach across geographical limitations. With legal firms increasingly offering virtual legal consultancy, clients no longer need to visit lawyers’ offices.
Lawyers can now conduct appointments, and consult with clients online through video conferencing, virtual meeting platforms, and mobile devices.
Remote collaboration applications allow clients to securely share the digital format of necessary documents. As lawyers work remotely, mobile technologies and collaborative tools have become more smart and adaptable.
To Sum Up
Legal services have undergone a major upheaval with the introduction of technology. This has awarded several benefits to the lawyers and the clients at the same time. T
There is less time spent travelling to and from the legal offices, documents can be shared in real-time, consultations and meetings can happen on the go, and most of the tedious legal documentation and data processing work is delegated to smart AI tools.
Lawyers have more time to dedicate to understanding the intricacies of complicated cases, while run-of-the-mill tasks can be accomplished faster. Potential clients thus benefit from affordable, easily accessible, and transparent legal services.