Meeting the technological hurdles in the legal industry
Today’s practice of law is much different than even a decade ago – and certainly different than how it’s depicted on the television law shows.
Advances in technology present both advantages and challenges to the modern law firm. Today’s practices manage increased volumes of data; and ensuring the security of their own data and the data of the clients they represent is paramount. There are ongoing issues of compliance with changing regulations, too. And we can’t overlook what the presence of artificial intelligence (AI) has done to the legal profession. Whether it’s the firm’s use of AI, or dealing with the challenges that this emerging technology presents from their clients and other sources, today’s landscape is different than yesterday’s, and we can only guess at what the profession might look like in five years.
Overall, AI has the potential to enhance how a firm operates – if used correctly. But the advances in technology – including AI – are not always embraced by the profession.
Attorneys managing their practices are inclined to concentrate their efforts on maintaining client relationships, finding new business, and managing their team. And therein lies the challenges that some firms can face:
- Lacking the infrastructure (and in some cases the expertise) to properly secure sensitive legal data.
- Skepticism of new and emerging technology
- The process of managing, reviewing, and searching large volumes of legal data can be time-consuming and costly.
- Questions about how to use AI ethically and effectively
- Concerns about storing data in the cloud
- Dealing with compliance issues
With that being said, where can a law firm turn – and what can it do – to “overrule its objections” to embracing technology in the modern law practices?
First, it makes sense to follow a few practices to protect and secure data, including encrypted platforms, utilizing strong passwords, and using multi-factor authentication (MFA) for signing on to the network. Additionally, providing training for a firm’s team – from the attorneys to the paralegals and staff support – will yield huge dividends, if people who are at the front line of receiving and sending information are well-schooled in knowing how to spot and avoid suspicious emails and other attempts from cybercriminals to invade the network.
A Managed Service Provider (MSP) who a firm might outsource its IT needs to can also help with compliance automation – to be certain that the firm is aligned with such requirements as GDPR and HIPAA. Additionally, a cyber security partner can help build incident response and cyber-risk dashboards that are tailored to the legal community environment.
For the technology-hesitant, an MSP can help with the design of user-friendly intuitive interfaces that do not require significant amounts of training to become proficient in using.
For the challenges of searching and reviewing large portions of data, this is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist if used properly. With AI, you can incorporate AI-driven document review and tagging tools, as well as tools for filtering, predictive coding, and near-duplicate detections. The point to remember with AI in the legal profession is that it should be focused on legal research assistance, analysis or automation, rather than trying to use it for legal advice. AI-powered tools can automate numerous legal tasks, which can improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Storing information in the cloud may at first seem confounding to the legal profession, but there are safeguards. There are a number of protections built into cloud storage that should be reassuring, including the ability to design private on-premise (or hybrid) solutions. And an MSP can guide a law firm toward compliance-friendly solutions.
It is also possible to implement high-tech integrations to a network that will provide automatic updates for compliance, as well as dashboards for risk assessment, tracking of deadlines, and jurisdiction alerts.
If you, as the owner or manager of a law firm, are interested in upgrades, working with the right MSP can go a long way toward making your firm’s technology run more smoothly. Your MSP can guide you on the use of the best legal software, for example, and you may also be able to incorporate relevant content to your site (such as webinars and white papers) which may prove beneficial in attracting new clients and retaining your current ones.
A law firm can benefit significantly with the support of a cyber security partner. Don’t take chances on your firm’s future! Why not have a conversation with a cyber security team who can show you how to understand the risks and help mitigate them. We can assist in helping you protect your network against cyber criminals. If you are looking for network protection, or even just want to have an initial conversation, please visit https://pulsetechnology.com or give us a call at 888-357-4277. We’re here to help!
