Technology has made its way into all areas of life and business. Our relationships are enhanced by social media platforms; our entertainment comes from devices like smartphones and TVs; vacuum cleaners and dishwashers are our best cleaning assistants. Is there anything that technology can’t do?
When everything is going “smart”, how could jurisprudence stay behind? If you work in the field of law, you must have noticed that it’s been infiltrated by new technologies too. AI technology helps people understand the legal issues they’re facing and offers free advice. Software for lawyers helps legal practitioners stay organized. These are just a few examples of the role of technology in our lives. Here are other ways in which technology is changing the field of law.
Automation
Technology is able to take over more tasks than ever. It can scan documents and streamline modern communication. It can help people proofread and edit contracts, as well as facilitate communication with customers and even take over parts of that process. Tasks that were given to paralegals, personal assistants, and junior associates back in the day are now taken over by technology.
Law firm software is gaining popularity for its time and cost-efficiency. Firms that don’t use automation tools and software are far behind the wave. Automation tools can not only save you money but time and effort that goes into completing a boring administrative task. E-billing systems are an exceptional example of how law firm software leverages automation to revolutionize traditional processes. These systems take the mundane yet critical task of billing and transform it into a streamlined, automated process. Instead of the tedious job of manual billing that paralegals or junior associates once handled, e-billing systems efficiently generate, dispatch, and process invoices.
Moreover, the intricate analytical capabilities of these systems provide profound insights into billing trends and client behaviors, facilitating strategic decision-making. Law firms incorporating e-billing systems into their operations are not just keeping up with the technology wave but riding the crest of it, maximizing their time, money, and effort for more critical legal tasks.
Artificial Intelligence
AI has not made its way to the courtroom just yet, so it might be a few years before rulings are generated by robots instead of judges. Of course, that’s just a joke, considering AI still lacks that human factor that is so important in making decisions regarding complex and multifaceted cases.
But what about standard cases, like parking or speeding tickets? When a case is that common and has a standard outcome, a computer must be able to generate a reasonable decision. Though a human judge is still indispensable, individuals are turning to self-help websites for legal advice.
Those websites work on a database of cases that creates a certain algorithm for decision-making. There is just one downside; they are not advanced enough to provide tailored legal advice. Eventually, with a large enough database and a strong algorithm, legal advice from self-help websites can become more nuanced.
Remote work
With the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of technology, people are becoming accustomed to working remotely. Working from home no longer implies sitting in your living room surrounded by monitors. You can work from the beach, your parents’ house, or a hotel lobby. As long as your firm allows for it and you have a stable internet connection, you can work from anywhere.
This wouldn’t have been possible without technology. The technology needed here is not as simple as wireless laptops that can stay charged for hours. It’s also about legal document software that allows us to access documents from any place in the world, from multiple devices. Project management tools help us stay connected with our colleagues through space and time.
You no longer need to be in the same room as your colleague to share insights with them or work on a case together. Though working remotely felt forced for many people at first, more are beginning to take it as the blessing that it is.
Social media
Social media has made a disruption in all industries. Marketing and advertising changed completely with the rise of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Such platforms allow firms to promote and talk about their services for a much lower price. It is up to you if you want to run paid ads on these platforms. You also have the option to share your content for free and let the algorithm do its thing.
Some social media platforms have a more inclusive algorithm that will push your content regardless of who you are, like TikTok. Legal firms are taking advantage of social media too. LinkedIn is one of the most widely accepted channels among legal professionals. Recruiters are able to find candidates for positions that haven’t even been posted yet. This is an excellent way to get to know your candidate without communicating with them directly.
Social media allows you to communicate with your target market as a group, rather than approaching your customers individually. You can share the news with your followers and post about upcoming conferences or big cases you’ve won.
Final thoughts
All of this might lead you to the conclusion that humans in the field of law will become obsolete soon. Don’t worry, that won’t be the case. Even the smartest technology still requires human input. The software will run on its own, but you need to give it something to process. Even if that means clicking a few buttons, people are indispensable.
On the plus side, technology is taking all the boring work off our hands. There is some administration in any job, no matter how high up you are. With a bit of technology, we can decrease our workloads and free up some much needed time.
