Why we are going to the ABA Tech Conference in Chicago
Today’s law firm clients are smart, fast-moving and tech savvy. They have an unprecedented amount of information at their fingertips and often come to law firms armed with their own legal research and case strategies. Clients not only expect an attorney with outstanding legal skills, they expect a superb level of client services from the law firm infrastructure that support client matters.
In response, some law firms are increasingly adopting advanced digital technology. Unlike their “marble and mahogany” predecessors, these firms are not implementing technology with the primary focus of improving the internal productivity of the firm. Rather, these firms are making strategic technology investments based on clients’ need for swift and frequent access to their lawyers and genuine transparency about case developments. “Client-centric” case management demands that law firms embrace technology first and foremost for their clients, and only secondarily for the benefit of the firm.
For example,
- Clients want a human to answer the phone when they call and a same-day response when they fill out an online intake form.
- Clients want a secure portal to share confidential video, audio and documents with their legal team, with direct messaging their lead attorney.
- Clients want to know that their dedicated legal team is up-to-date on case status and is collaborating on important developments.
- Clients want online billing and a complete detail of their legal fees and Trust account balances immediately on request.
- Clients want to know that every member of their legal team has the client’s contact info synched to their cell phones for immediate access.
Beyond just “client service”, clients want to know that their legal team is efficient and productive – not for the firm’s sake – but for the benefit of the clients themselves. It is disquieting to a client to watch their attorney fumbling around stacks of folders looking for documents or deposition transcripts. A client doesn’t want to hear that their paralegal can’t find the letter that the lead attorney sent opposing counsel. Clients want law firms to use paperless, digital technology that will give them the extra advantage in winning a case, reducing risk and minimizing the high-cost of manual efforts.
No surprise: Clients are the reason we are going to the ABA Technology Conference. We will be jumping from session to session to learn about:
- The latest in client loyalty solutions
- Data-driven decision making
- Case management analytics
- Document automation
- Workflow optimization
- Cyber-security
We will be searching the vast vendor expo for the latest new technologies that will help us deliver the kind of services that today’s modern client needs. We will be huddled around the lounge late into the evening to discover how early-adopters are embracing technology like e-discovery, video depositions and on-line case management in order to better serve law firm clients.
Clients are the new tech trend – try running a law firm without them.