NetDocuments: Want to triumph in 2021? Start by tackling tech
“Curveball after curveball after curveball” is a pretty accurate summary of 2020. Yet, despite every unpredictability that came our way, the legal industry found ways to survive — and even thrive — with technology playing a central role in the transformation.
Having gained a whole new set of tools (and lessons learned), legal professionals are poised to reshape the future of the legal workplace. And while there are many opportunities for growth, tech may be the biggest of all. Here’s how you can take your tech strategy to the next level.
Organizations Are Relying on Cloud Tech More Than Ever
With team members distributed across remote work locations, technologies that were once optional quickly became essentials— especially for communication and coordination with internal team members, external firms, and clients. Virtual meetings, real-time messaging, and other collaboration tools have replaced coffee meetups, shoulder taps, and even the water cooler.
But even more crucial than the tools themselves has been the accessibility factor, which is why adoption of cloud technology has accelerated dramatically (yes, even among law firms) since the onset of the pandemic. On-premises systems and finicky VPNs simply cannot keep up with the flexibility, ease, and security of cloud-based platforms.
Legal Professionals Found the Groove of Remote Work
The transition to working from home was challenging for most — although those who had already started down the road of digital transformation fared better than those who hadn’t. Deploying new solutions on the fly (as many companies and teams were forced to do) often created as many problems as they solved, including issues like data fragmentation, poor integrations between platforms, and noncompliance.
But as law firms and legal have grown more accustomed to working remotely, it’s time to look beyond mere survival and explore ways to make work (remote or not) more inspired. It’s time to reassess your organization’s relationship with technology and make sure that you’re getting the tools and experience you need to truly thrive.
It’s Time to Put People at the Heart of Your Tech Strategy
In this period of social distancing, human connection has become more vital than ever before. So as you review different aspects of your technology strategy and stack, put your team first. Here are a few of our top suggestions for choosing tech that benefits your people and your business:
1. Commit to the Cloud
Whether or not remote work and flexible scheduling are permanent features of the workplace of the future — and for the record, we predict that they are — 2020 has shown us that teams work more effectively when their location doesn’t limit their productivity.
True cloud solutions can help attorneys and legal professionals stay productive at any time, and from anywhere, while integrating seamlessly with the platforms they already know and love. Cloud tools are simply more compatible with the pace of modern life and business.
2. Create Your Single Source of Truth
From lost productivity and inefficiency to frustration and security risk, your team cannot afford to deal with scattered documents and data (also known as data fragmentation). It’s a recipe for trouble.
On the other hand, with a cloud-based document management system (DMS), it’s easy to build a single source of truth that provides access to all the information your team needs to work and collaborate effectively.
3. Embrace Automation
Your team’s unique skills and expertise are your most valuable resources. But sometimes their time and effort is wasted on low-value tasks. Automation can relieve those unnecessary burdens and enable your team to put their best energy into the high-value work that only they can do.
Make 2021 a Triumph
How your firm tackles the coming months and years may have a profound impact on the legal workplace of the future — and technology is a major piece of that puzzle.
In the must-read whitepaper, Thriving in a Post-2020 Workplace: How Law Firms Can Leverage Lessons Learned to Succeed in 2021, you’ll learn about more unique challenges presently facing the law firms and legal teams, to help you become better equipped to create effective strategies and help your organization thrive in the coming year.
