What makes a law department modern?
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I was recently on a webinar talking about what the legal technology landscape looks like today and what factors to consider when building a legal department for your business. My thesis is that a modern legal department has not only the substantive capability to respond to today’s legal challenges and issues, be it data protection or corporate responsibility and sustainability, but also the procedural capability to provide that response with today’s tools and ways of working so that legal does not become a bottleneck.
But how do we get there? Here are a few highlights from the debate:
What does the legal tech market look like now and going forward?
The market is starting to mature and continues to grow. The big trends at the moment are:
Increasing automation of documents and workflows
Growing use of artificial intelligence
Drive toward the exploitation of self-service
However, organisations are different, and rather than chasing a particular technology it makes sense to start with identifying the actual needs and, building on that understanding, start scoping the types of solutions that might be worth considering. An experienced sparring partner can be of great help here.
How can technologies and processes be made to work together?
“Tools for the process, not the other way round” is a good starting point. How to get there requires doing your homework: not rushing ahead with technology, but first appreciating the root cause – what challenge, problem or impracticality do you wish to tackle?
In many cases, this requires discussions with different stakeholders to map the current situation and identify the needs, which can then be used as a basis for analysis and initial hypotheses to find a solution.
Naturally, it is also important to invest in implementation to get the most out of the tool chosen. Even the best technology will not help if people do not know how, or are unwilling, to use it.
What are the best practices for deploying different services and tech solutions?
It’s not just about managing technologies, it’s also about managing people – how to engage them and how to deal with potential resistance to change.
Cost control can be influenced up to a point by contractual terms, but attention should also be paid to the licensing model and metrics, as well as to the deployment project and potential hidden costs.
There are also many questions about vendor dependency, especially in a cloud environment. The risk of vendor lock-in can be reduced through a careful selection process and proof-of-concept piloting. It is also important to ensure data portability, both in terms of contractual arrangements and technical solutions.
Do you want to learn more about how to build a modern legal department for your company?
Are you interested in utilizing legal technology in your company?
Feel free to contact Pessi Honkasalo or book an appointment directly for a 15 min discussion.
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Legal technology supporting the success of your business
The world is changing fast, creating new questions and new requirements. Navigating the legal waters around new business models and technology can be complex. We can help you make it simple.
Maybe you want to ensure that the design of your legal texts and materials supports your business and customer relations in the best possible way? Maybe you want to automate your agreements but aren’t sure about the solutions offered by different vendors? Or maybe you just have a hunch that your legal matters and documents could serve your business better?
