More and more law firms have upgraded and started to incorporate technology into their daily operations. Automation is now the path most industries have taken, and law firms are keen to keep up with the changing times.
From banking to health care services and even shopping have already converted to automation from the traditional operation system.
To stay on top of the game, you will need to think ahead more than your competitors. If you haven’t considered automating your law firm, then this will be the best time to do it.
To know what kind of technology to use in your law firm, here are the areas that you should focus on first.
Client Portal Software
The first step in automating your law firm is by researching client portal software. There are so many software and websites available to choose from, and each has its advantages. Choose the provider that can meet your demands to make sure that you have what you need to properly cater to your clients while achieving your firm’s advancements.
Most Client Portal Software has features that enable you to integrate useful apps, such as Paypal and QuickBooks. It can also handle your messages, schedules, and billing in one place for a more hassle-free experience.
This technology helps you to securely interact with your clients anytime and anywhere. Managing your law firm no matter where you are is the best advancement this kind of technology can bring to your firm.
eDiscovery Software
The eDiscovery Software is created to allow legal practitioners to manage or review documents that are part of a lawsuit that they are handling. To become a well-known lawyer, you must be very thorough in your practice area.
eDiscovery can help you reduce cost in discovering valuable information regarding a particular matter, speed up resolutions, and mitigate risks. It allows you to easily manage or acquire digitally stored information, plus you can share any information you acquired, which can help with the collaboration processes.
Video Conferencing
During this past year, attorneys had to come up with ways to meet with their clients outside of the office and video conferencing platforms became the norm. Even as we ease back into the face-to-face meetings, these options can still be useful for various reasons. These options have shown us that although in-person interactions are preferable, we can conduct business remotely and still have the same outcome.
This technology has opened the door for alternative options for meetings and allows for better flexibility not only on the part of the attorney but their clients as well.
There are so many video conferencing platforms that are available for installation anytime. The most popular among them are Zoom and Skype, which can be installed on any device. Some attorneys even utilize social media apps like HouseParty, Google Duo, Google Hangout, and FaceBook messenger to get the job done.
However, if there is more specific software that is better suitable for your work background, dive in and do some research. Picking a platform that works best for you and your clients is crucial.
Open Data Sources
There are so many open data sources available on the internet. This platform is important when you need information about your client or anyone for that matter. Remedy bail bond agents use open data sources software to gather information about the defendants and organize it into one place for easy access.
Having this technology can help you perform quick and convenient background checks for any person of interest. Although this data is readily available through the world wide web, it is still best to have software that will gather and organize for you to help you save time and effort.
Online Transcription Service
Multiple court hearings mean hours and hours of audio recordings that you will need to transcribe. Of course, you can opt to ask your assistant to do it for you. However, mistakes are inevitable in transcribing, especially if made by inexperienced individuals, and one mistake could lead to unexpected consequences.
Thanks to outsourcing, you can now hire experienced transcriptionists online through online transcription services. Multiple websites offer up to 99% accuracy in transcription service with a fast turn-around time.
You can ensure that these websites only employ individuals who are good at transcribing files from audio to text. Transcribers need to have a good listening ear to acquire a 99% accuracy, and online transcription services guarantee their clients to produce quality transcriptions.
Although transcription software is also available with a lesser accuracy rate, transcription software’s speech recognition is very sensitive to background noises. It takes time to understand slang and nuances. As of now, while the AI technology in transcription is still in the process of improvement, a human transcriptionist would be your best option.
Accounting Software
Aside from the operational aspect of your law firm, you also need to automate your accounting. There is accounting software for law firms that already have online billing and accounting features to allow you to focus more on your job.
This software will allow you to send invoices to your clients, organize your expenses, and help you follow-up with your clients using your devices. You can easily track your finances with this accounting software wherever you are, which will keep you on top of everything.
Technology indeed changed how we live our daily lives. We are now starting to rely on technology from doing our job to our transportation and communication, and even in socializing with our peers are now influenced by technology.
Legal tech is the new era of the legal industry as technology has become a tool to provide legal support and services to the public. Legal tech companies are founded to revolutionize the old way of making legal services available.
Takeaway
Running a law firm is a difficult job. Juggling between handling complicated cases and managing your law firm could be overwhelming, and these legal tech platforms can be a helpful tool to make your job easier. Start your upgrade and install software that you will need to allow you to focus on your cases and let technology handle the rest.
Author’s Bio:
Kevin Moore is a Law student and contributing writer for various magazines, sites, and law publications. When he’s off duty from school and work duties, Kevin loves to hop from one historical museum to another to get his cultural fix.
