Automation delay
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The chatter around automation has shifted from process efficiencies to how automation can help law firms innovate legal services for their clients. Jem Sandhu reports on SME firms' implementation, or lack thereof, of basic automation processes.
Kirsten Maslen, head of small law and academic at Thomson Reuters Legal Professionals, Europe, offers some advice for firms that love the idea of that jazzy new automation tool, but simply don’t know where or how to start, or whether they even should
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It’s become increasingly clear that many SME firms have not even made it out of the starting gate when it comes to automation. This isn’t really a surprise; the LPM Legal IT landscapes 2019 report found that SME firms said about 36% of their work is currently automated, however 68% could be automated with technologies currently on the market.
Is it time for law firms to take heed of the automation possibilities before them? Or might they continue to propagate a service interruption?
AUTOMATE IT OR BREAK IT
This started out as a story on process improvement: how law firms are using automation not just for efficiency, but to streamline and enhance their interactions with clients – perhaps even provide them with entirely new services. After all, aren’t client portals supposed to be the next big thing? But it became increasingly clear that many SME firms have not even made it out of the starting gate when it comes to automation.
AUTOMATION LAGGING?
Kirsten Maslen, head of small law and academic at Thomson Reuters, works with SME firms to help them with Thomson Reuters’ legal products, including Contract Express. She says: “There are a lot of misunderstandings that automation is about replacing lawyers or taking away their ability to exercise judgement.”
