Elevate your growth with a tech upgrade: How IT can improve your firm’s success

IT never gets this much attention. Bring popcorn.

IT, the umbrella of software, tech and hardware, is something that everybody has, nobody wants and everyone needs. We’re all completely reliant on both a laptop and software (of some description) to do our job. Nobody really likes the idea of change. In fact, hardly anyone will embrace a new piece of tech without a sigh or a grumble about how things were “fine as they are”. But everyone, regardless of their sector or level of seniority within the business, will need to keep up with the advancing digitisation of our modern world.

It’s clearly something that continues to change all the time! 

So, how can IT transform your business in new, unexpected ways? Are you using it to remove your day-to-day frustrations?

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What is IT?

IT really covers anything from simple hardware setups, through to app creation and AI automation. 

The sole purpose of these systems and technologies, however, is to make our workload more precise, more efficient and quicker to produce. It allows us to create clear processes, securely hold large quantities of sensitive data, and exchange information with other teams around the world (regardless of time zone or location). IT also empowers us to build successful businesses from our single office or back bedroom. Can you imagine still writing huge pieces of litigation with a quill and some parchment?! You can’t get more persuasive than that!

So now we’ve got you all excited, it’s time to talk about the impacts of IT on your organisation.

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When do you need to rethink your IT solutions?

We shouldn’t start off with a negative, but we’re going to. Hands up if you remember that brilliant video in the noughties of a man getting angry with his desktop computer?  

We’ve all been there No judgement.

The truth is, as tech continues to develop, evolve and change in capabilities, the more complex the solution might be. Which means there’s more to fix if things go wrong. We’ve always struggled with corrupted hard drives, damaged floppy discs, and faulty network cables. Those things were frustrating, but fairly straightforward to fix or recover our data from. And let’s face it, we were printing everything out too…

Now, we can’t see, feel or touch the components that need fixing. We’re reliant on backups, cloud software, and encryption to keep our work safe and secure.Ah yes. Let’s talk about the cloud for just one moment. The cloud is a network of servers all around the world that store and manage data, run your favourite (and some of your not-so favourite) applications, while also allowing for easy movement of documentation across the internet. Sounds nifty right? Right! 

Like most technologies, we need to be aware of how to fix things if, or when, they go wrong. We also need to be aware of how this may impact our ability to work, so that reasonable contingencies can be put in place. For example:

• Access control - unable to access a document without seeking permission from the document’s creator.
• Security - software applications are prone to hacking attempts and cyber attacks. It can also be difficult to restrict access from unauthorised persons if you don’t have the right security settings.
• Internet connectivity - if you lose connection, you’re working from offline versions or the live documents are unable to sync for other users or for storage.
• Latency issues - high latency decreases communication bandwidth, resulting in temporary or permanent delays in accessing and updating information.
• Ransomware - access from authorised persons can be denied during a cyber attack. Reaccessing the files may be held in “ransom”, often looking for financial reward.

Experience any one of those and it’s a bad day for sure!

And that’s without even mentioning broken hardware… 

Of course, there are lots of other potential challenges and obstacles that could impact ITs ability to work effectively. Our heavy reliance on software and hardware to “perform as expected” does create the need for an in-house IT support service. Why? You just don’t have time to stop what you’re doing and figure it out!

This point leads us nicely to celebrating how IT does help our businesses work more efficiently day in, day out.

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When IT “makes” your day

We’ve considered the less positive aspects of IT.  However, there are, of course, significant benefits to your teams and clients when you choose the right tools to improve delivery.

So how is IT enabling your law firm to perform more efficiently?

-   Better storage

-   Less time waste

-   Reduced requirement for paperwork

-   Improved internal communication

-   Improved external communication

-   Increased security

-   Ease of translation and duplication

To illustrate how transformational IT systems can be, we thought it would be worth examining a relevant use case. For this example, we’re focusing on Shepherd and Wedderburn, a law firm founded in 1768 (no wonder the end results were SO extraordinary!)

Where did the change start?

16 years ago, the firm hired Steve Dalgeish, a web developer keen to bring innovation to the firm, initially through digital marketing and intranet projects. However, Steve quickly progressed to developing bespoke applications for the firm, enabling the firm to increase their capacity to deliver, as well as encouraging and enabling the reuse of content more effectively.

Additional developments included a bespoke CRM system, a records management system, and an intranet that created work status alerts and critical information to lawyers and other relevant back office teams within the firm.

Initially, you might assume that this required enormous financial investment. However, the skills became available because of Steve’s experience and the addition of other software. This software could be self taught instead of being managed by a third party. In an interview, he said "Efficient systems that enable us to collaborate at scale with clients can dramatically affect what kinds of projects we bid for, as well as the execution cost and profitability."

Throughout the process of transformation, Steve noticed that part of the implementation problem in non-tech focused firms was IT support. Mainly - that choosing and integrating new software was intimidating and time consuming. So resolving these challenges became a top priority.

And?

Having more efficient systems has improved both client communication and collaboration, allowing for future growth plans and increased likelihood of winning new business. In 2019, Shepherd and Wedderburn received awards for Transaction team of the Year and Innovator of the Year.

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Balancing big projects with quick wins

While comprehensive IT overhauls like Shepherd and Wedderburn can yield impressive results, it's important to recognise that not all valuable IT improvements require massive investments or lengthy implementation periods. 

In fact, some of the most impactful tools are those that seamlessly integrate into existing workflows and deliver immediate returns on investment.

Law firms can significantly enhance their productivity by adopting tools that:

• Integrate easily with existing systems and workflows
• Require minimal training
• Provide immediate, tangible benefits

For example, our productivity tools are designed specifically for legal professionals. Definely seamlessly integrates into your current document drafting workflow, allowing lawyers to work more efficiently without disrupting their established processes.

By implementing tools like Definely, firms can:

• Reduce time spent on repetitive tasks such as proofreading
• Improve accuracy in document drafting and review by, for example, easily navigating definitions and clause references without leaving the provision you’re working on
• Enhance collaboration among team members by exporting issues lists without having to review the entire document

These incremental improvements can lead to substantial time savings and increased billable hours, ultimately boosting the firm's bottom line.

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Wrapping up

By being smarter with their use of IT, Shepherd and Wedderburn’s lawyers could handle “20 times more cases compared to traditional ways of working”.

How could 20x more have an impact on your firm?

By adopting a mix of transformative projects and targeted productivity enhancements, law firms can create a comprehensive IT strategy that drives both immediate and long-term success.

It’s important to find these tools now, implement them well, and allow them to enable growth, development and productivity within your firm. No longer a chore, it should be an appealing prospect to discover new solutions that improve the delivery of your services.

Just imagine how you would be working without it… 

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