Top 10 innovative trends in law firms
Though modest and highly traditional as a profession, the legal industry is one of the service-based businesses, fundamentally affected and driven by the pace of technology.
While traditional law firms have been slow to embrace the vital changes of the 21st century- including technology, Business and corporate commercial law firms have found this to be the gateway to their entire practice – primarily, due to the demands of economic activities around the world and changing demographics. For these ones, the latest technologies and gadgets are not a matter of luxury, but key to service delivery.
With a view to competing globally and meeting the demands of local and international clients, many of the firms have adopted various ICT solutions to cater for their business and client base.
To this end, internal operations and services have become more efficient with client-satisfaction being the watchword.
Here are our TOP 10 things that are changing the business of law today:
1. IPADS & TABS (TABLETS) –
This has been a must-have for the upwardly mobile lawyer for over a decade now, and continues to trend with each new upgrade.
Business lawyers travel more than frequently and the apps offered by the ipad and other tabs, make their travels more organised, less demanding and satisfying. They can plan their trips, organise their case-files, get easy access to digital law reports and communicate with clients.
Tabs that work on native Word, Excel and PowerPoint files are selling fast for top legal executives.
2. SMART PHONES
Smart phones, are mobile phones with sophisticated computing abilities and connectivity than the ordinary phone with only essential features. They came tops on the list of must-haves for top commercial law firms in Nigeria, who used it for both internal communication of staff members and externally, for client communications – via emails, etc.
3. AUDIOVISUAL/VIDEO/TELECONFERENCING APPLIANCES
This sort of conferencing is now constant in virtually every commercial law firm in Nigeria, with a large port folio of international clients or cross-border transactions. It involves a set of telecommunication technologies that allows two or more locations to communicate by simultaneous two-way video and audio transmissions. It has also been called ‘visual collaboration’ and is a type of groupware.
Videoconferencing differs from videophone calls in that it is designed to serve a conference or multiple locations rather than individuals.
4. LAPTOPS
Laptops are convenient and movable PCs (personal computers).They come in various sizes, such as notebooks, subnotebooks and netbooks; and are used in a variety of settings, including work, education, and personal multimedia. Even with these, lawyers are opting for smarter versions and models with smart apps (applications) to address their direct needs and make legal business more efficient.
5. WIRELESS DOORBELLS, INTERCOMS AND DOORBELL CAMERAS
This is a highly valuable item in most corporate commercial law offices in Nigeria today; given the demand of security and the calibre of clients they transact with on a day-to-day basis.
The Video Doorbell is a cordless phone system that doubles as a front door video surveillance system. It has become a common digital accessory in top commercial law firms.
6. CLOUD COMPUTING
This is believed to be one of the most viable and effective technology amongst every other technology and solution available to the 21st century business lawyer. A good cloud computing solution, gives the lawyer easy access to stored information, via tools such as the Unified Communications & Collaboration as a Service (UCCaaS).
7. CLOUD-BASED PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
This is a software that allows a lawyer/law firm access to the law firm’s daily, weekly and monthly meetings from anywhere. With this, they can initiate time-tracking on a case or transaction instantly from anywhere using these apps. They can also create and track to-do lists sync calendar entries with deals and transactions, effectively generate bills and collaborate with clients closely, no matter where they are; using these cloud-based software.
8. POCKET PROJECTORS:
This unique device allows a display of presentations on any flat surface wherever they want. Images can also be shared without using laptops or smart phones to take advice of some expert witness. These lightweight pocket projectors can be easily portable as they measure 4 inches by 2 inches and weigh only 5 ounces.
9. USER-ENCRYPTED FLASH DRIVES:
This is a very vital gadget for law firm as it not only allows safely storage of clients’ data and documents, but also allows easy access to these, even on the move. They can store the firm’s data as well as those of a client, safely on this drive.
10. THE PEN SCANNER:
Lawyers are allowed to scan their text only by underlining with this handheld portable gadget. You can upload the text stored on this pen scanner on your personal computer. You can also transmit the data stored on this device, if it has Bluetooth technology with it.
The items above have made it to the top of the list of Nigeria’s top service providers in the legal industry.
THEODORA KIO-LAWSON