Is Your Law Firm Taking Advantage of These Effective Technology Tools?

It may be hard to believe, but there are small- to medium-sized law firms that have yet to adopt a digital strategy. Some are intimidated by new tech tools while some are simply not sure which tools are right for them. If your law office in Wichita is facing the same dilemma, here’s all you need to know: digitizing operations will vastly reduce the unproductive non-billable hours of lawyers, legal assistants, and other support staff. That’s actually one of the findings of researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Law: lawyers across the nation could see a 13% decrease in the number of hours worked in a fully automated working environment. There’s no need to feel intimidated by technology. To get ahead in the fiercely competitive legal industry, take advantage of these tech resources.

Unified communications platforms

Lawyers must constantly communicate with their clients and a regular phone just won’t cut it. On top of a traditional landline, you need email, chat apps, video conferencing platforms, and more. Managing communication tools, however, may prove challenging. That is why you need powerful and convenient unified communications (UC) systems that will help your firm solve communication and collaboration challenges. Here’s what a UC system can do for your legal firm:

• Provide an integrated communication platform – This allows access to messages and other communications across a range of devices. It eliminates the need to manage multiple communication channels, making it easier for lawyers to get in touch with clients and associates.
• Facilitate collaboration regardless of location – UC tools make it easier for associates in different locations to communicate. This capability is especially critical for remote working. now that shelter-in-place orders are in effect and in the foreseeable future.
• Ease document sharing – With a UC system, sharing documents, sending quick messages to associates or clients, and inviting more participants to a conference call can be done easily via integrated business productivity platforms and chat apps.

Legal software

There are two types of legal software that law firms should leverage:

• Legal case management software Legal case management involves multiple interconnected processes, including organizing contact lists and files, setting appointments, processing billing information, and more. Firms that move away from a paper-based system can do more of these tasks in less time.With legal case management software, team collaboration is easier because of its automated meeting reminders feature. Moreover, it eases file organization and document retrieval, makes creating calendar appointments a breeze, and helps you keep track of billable hours efficiently.
• eDiscovery automation software Spending hours sifting through documents for a case can be time-consuming and costly. Using AI-powered eDiscovery analytics, you can reduce the time spent on poring over large volumes of data. And when you have all the relevant information you need, you’re better equipped to develop the best legal strategy for clients.eDiscovery automation software simplifies the process of finding relevant evidence, helps you build a stronger case, and enhances your team’s productivity.

Online communities and social media

Networking with other legal professionals and gaining and sharing information are essential to the success of law firms. One of the best ways to do these is to establish an online presence, participate in online communities, and engage with social media users. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are tailored toward specific types of audiences and can be used to achieve certain goals.

• LinkedIn Use LinkedIn to network with other legal professionals, gain insights on industry trends, and join or host discussions with other legal experts on a variety of legal, marketing, and other relevant topics.
• Twitter Use Twitter to establish your firm’s partners as thought leaders in their respective areas of practice, engage with your followers, get creative with content, establish a reputation for being approachable rather than cold and aloof, and share news and tips. These can all lead to acquiring new clients or becoming a prominent social media personality.
• Facebook Facebook is a good place to engage more deeply with your followers, post a variety of content (including text, images, and video), and generate new leads.

Summit Advisors, LLC’s IT experts can help your Wichita law firm discover the IT tools needed to boost productivity, acquire new clients, and win more cases. Call our managed IT services experts today at 316-247-3150.