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After earning a few blisters from their time in the “cost reduction” hot seat, GCs are now putting outside counsel on the spot. In-house legal teams save hours every day by automating legal research, contract review, legal document drafting, and other tasks. It only makes sense that they ask law firms, “What’s your plan for automating legal work and adjusting prices accordingly?”
I mention it here as just one of the countless ways technology is reshaping the legal profession. And lawyers’ roles and responsibilities continue to evolve along the way, changing the rules for how to get ahead. Here’s how lawyers who remain open-minded can adopt proactive strategies to meet technological change head-on and thrive in the modern digital era:
Show Clients How You Use Technology To Their Benefit
Do clients and business stakeholders know how you use technology to their benefit? Make sure they do!
Leveraging automation is the top way to deliver efficiency and productivity, with generative AI alone having the potential to automate up to 44% of legal tasks in the U.S. After using technology tools themselves, it’s no wonder nearly 7 in 10 corporate counsels expect their law firms to use cutting-edge technology, including generative AI. Similarly, 6 in 10 lawyers from large firms believe their clients expect them to use such tools.
Don’t hesitate to share that you use an AI-backed legal research platform, contract management software, generative AI, and other tools for your clients’ benefit. KPIs from audit reports that detail lowered costs and raised efficiency are particularly compelling for prospective clients.
Technology Training Invests In Your Professional Growth
Sailors must know as much about wind as they do about boats to make a safe journey. Today, lawyers often must know nearly as much about technology as they do about the law to succeed.
Technology’s ubiquitous nature calls on lawyers to harness more advanced tools like AI and data analytics for their and their clients’ benefit. Ongoing success requires continuously expanding your technological knowledge and skills through seminars, workshops, conferences, and other educational opportunities. Learn about new tools and techniques to invest in your professional growth and stay on top of your game.
Uphold High Ethical Standards In The Digital Realm
As technology evolves, so do the accompanying ethical considerations, which land squarely in legal’s lap. In a recent survey, 85% of GCs say their department is morally responsible as the primary driver of company values, and 79% say they serve as the company’s conscience.
Lawyers must prioritize ethical conduct in the digital realm to build stakeholder trust. This includes safeguarding client confidentiality through secure data management practices and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. Guiding clients safely through the changes to come requires developing new frameworks for adhering to regulations and ethical guidelines related to AI use.
Adopt Practical Collaboration Tools
Services clients used to view as exceptional, such as returning calls within 24 hours, are mere table stakes today. Trusted lawyers are good communicators who rely on modern tools to collaborate, delivering real-time updates, immediate responses, and seamless interactions every day. Digital tools such as contract negotiation software, secure messaging apps, video conferencing, and live chatbots increasingly aid lawyers in enhancing accessibility and convenience.
Stay Up-To-Date On Recent Technology Integrations
By staying informed on the latest technology integrations in your organization, you can continue to streamline more processes, improve outcomes, ensure fiscal responsibility, improve the client experience, and deliver the services that make you stand out.
Remember: The future belongs to those who are willing to adapt! How do you stay ahead of the curve to thrive in your career? What strategies are you using to increase productivity and efficiency in your firm or organization? Have you integrated automation into your legal practice?
Olga V. Mack is the VP at LexisNexis and CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat, Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security, and Blockchain Value: Transforming Business Models, Society, and Communities. She is working on Visual IQ for Lawyers, her next book (ABA 2023). You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.
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