Gain insights from professionals in the field on how to pinpoint the most suitable solution for your needs.
LawTech Talks:
Choosing the right systems for your firm
In recent years, the legal sector has seen a substantial shift in the adoption of technology, with law firms increasingly relying on software to increase their productivity and profitability. However, a law firm’s success may depend on its choice of legal software. While the wrong software can result in time and resource waste, ineffective processes, and even compliance issues, the right software can streamline operations, reduce errors, and improve communication. With so many software options available in the market, selecting the right one can be quite challenging.
Recently, Adam Bullion, PracticeEvolve’s GM of Marketing, and Anthony Bryce, the Sales Lead for Australia and New Zealand, joined Jerome Doraisamy from Lawyers Weekly for a LawTech Talks podcast. The series explores the opportunities and risks of new legal tech applications in the legal sector.
In this special episode, Adam and Anthony draw on their expertise to share practical knowledge on the selection process of practice management systems in a rapidly evolving marketplace, specifically discussing the legal market challenges and the critical factors to consider during the selection process.
Adam identified four primary challenges facing the legal market:
- Improving productivity to achieve greater efficiency
- Implementing integrated software to minimize human error
- Enhancing client experiences to increase satisfaction
- Retaining key staff members
These challenges are interdependent and addressing them requires software with a service that provides cloud technology, connectivity, and competency to empower users to be more productive and satisfied. Also, the market research done by PracticeEvolve in partnership with LPM shows that providing effective software can improve work-life balance and increase satisfaction in day-to-day work resulting in happier users, and addressing human aspirations is critical for staff retention.
Adam also believes that law firms are aware of the challenges they face, but they may not have the time to address them properly. Therefore, it is important for software providers to support law firms by educating the market, particularly around Cloud technology and best-in-class software, and providing training tools, such as online learning platforms and on-demand courses, to ensure that users have access to the resources they need to fully utilise their software capabilities.
Consequently, Anthony discusses the importance of selecting the right software, highlighting the need for a diligent process that ensures clarity as to which software is ideal for your law firm and, ultimately, if the chosen software provides a solution for the long term. As a first step, Anthony advises firms to build a team of software users in order to understand the challenges they face and the issues they are attempting to solve. Undertaking this internal discovery will help identify the challenges that are holding the firm back and formulate a list of key software requirements. Firms can then go to market with this list of requirements, shortlist the potential software providers and evaluate how the vendors’ software will enhance the day-to-day operations of the firm.
Adam’s key advice is to approach the software selection process with an open mind, considering the service your firm needs to be successful, effective, and happy with the software you’ll be using. Anthony continues, “It’s critical to consider not only the viewpoint of the individuals in your company, but also the viewpoint of your clients and how they will benefit from your new software technology.” Ultimately, your long-term operational strategy should align with the needs and preferences of your clientele.
Make sure to listen to the full podcast to gain more insights on selecting the ideal practice management system for your law firm. Don’t miss this chance to learn from industry experts.
