5 Simple Ways To Digitize Your Law Firm Without Causing Chaos

Consumer demand is driving the digitization of law; we know that people want to be able to access legal documents online at a time and place that suits them, but it can be a real headache for lawyers to work out how best to provide these digital services.

Any change requires a period of transition, but once you get started, you’ll be well on your way to future-proofing your business.

In 1999, after I (Dave) read The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by author Michael Gerber, I began to systematize processes within my law firm. For example, I had weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals to help us systematize how we answered the phone, how we greeted people, and how we handled the mail. When you have a system, everything becomes simple and efficient.

Our systems and processes have continued to evolve to suit our needs.

If you are looking to make the most of technology and introduce a better system, you need to recognize that there’s a process to making things more efficient, and look at ways to keep it as straightforward as possible.

We (Dave and Guy) set up Guidr, an online self-serve platform which enables your firm to attract new clients who want to access legal documents at their convenience (removing mundane repetitive data entry work from you, so that your lawyers can focus on bespoke complex work).

The legal sector is lagging behind when it comes to digitization, but without it, your firm is losing business to other online platforms that provide self-serve documents.

In this blog, we’re going to explore five key ways you can ensure your needs are met so that you’re not overwhelmed, or left with a product or service that doesn’t meet your needs.

1. Research is key

When you take the time to digitize your practice, you want all of your team to be singing from the same song sheet, and fully on board with the chosen technology.

Ask your team for input so that you know what type of key performance indicators they require. This might include what efficiencies they want the system to provide, as well as what type of reports they would like it to generate.

Go online and explore videos or reviews about the product or service you are considering.

2. Keep it simple

If there is a company that can supply you with a process or documentation that takes the stress away from you, it’s wise to consider making the most of it. For example, it would probably be impractical, and take you an inordinate amount of time, to build and maintain a digital platform unless you are an expert. When you have the right support, your firm can extend into areas or attract new clients in ways that were previously unavailable to you.

3. Consider internal and external factors

Consider how digitization (or any other system or process) will help your firm become more efficient, and what other benefits digitization offers (for example, lowering labor costs).

At an external level, think about your website and the platform that you use to provide your services. What needs to change, and how will it benefit your firm (for example, will it boost revenue)?

4. Get the right support

As a lawyer, you are an expert in the law, but that doesn’t mean you are an expert in technology. Don’t try to implement a new system on your own; it wastes time, energy, money, and it’s likely to end in frustration (or worse!).

Find the people who know what they’re doing and trust them to guide you through it; a little work upfront saves a lot of time further down the line.

5. Remember it doesn’t have to be forever

If you give a new product or service a fair trial period and it doesn’t work for your business, remember that you have the capacity to change it. My (Dave’s) law firm has used a lot of different software over the years; it evolves, we evolve, and we just keep upgrading or side-stepping to something that suits our needs the best (it’s important that whatever you choose integrates with the rest of your systems).

If you don’t get the benefits you hoped for, you can easily move on.

How we can help you

Guidr, our online platform, provides self-serve legal documents, enabling your firm to attract new clients. Unlike other online platforms, we keep your law firm at the heart of the service so that if consumers want additional expertise and support, it’s easy for them to access.

You can find out more in our earlier blogs 3 Ways The Guidr Online Legal Platform Positively Impacts Law Firms, and How The Legal Industry Is Changing: Lawyers Can Make Money While They Sleep.

We hope you’ve found this blog helpful, whether you’re looking to enlist the expertise and support of Guidr, or considering changing other systems within your law firm.

If you’d like to talk directly to us, please email Dave or Guy, or check out our book.