We’ve been discussing how cloud-based technologies are allowing law firms to be more productive at a time when the pressure on firms to deliver work better, faster and more cost-effectively is higher than ever amid today’s challenging economic climate. It’s becoming increasingly clear that modernizing processes and adopting smart solutions in the cloud drives efficiency, improves connectivity and increases visibility, delivering major benefits to lawyers (and the wider business) and clients alike.
However, perceived challenges remain. For many firms, making the jump to the cloud can seem like an insurmountable undertaking riddled with unanswered questions. How will we identify which cloud-based platform works best for us? Where do we even begin given the sheer number of options? And what’s the best approach to adoption to take?
One useful source of information and guidance is the white paper from Thomson Reuters, “Rethinking your firm’s tech strategy: Uninterrupted productivity with cloud-based services.” It’s worth taking a close look at your current tech stack to see if it’s doing the job you need it to do in a seamless way. Here’s a step-by-step strategy to do just that:
Step 1: Audit your firm’s current tech
Start by asking a few basic questions about your current IT setup:
- What tools do we use?
- How well do they address the need for which they were implemented?
- Are any of them due for an upgrade or possible replacement?
- Are there any tech gaps that need to be filled?
- Are there any manual tasks we’re performing that could be automated?
- Are they capable of delivering more as our needs change in the future?
Step 2: Determine your critical requirements
Work out what critical functions your technology investments need to deliver – both now and looking forward. Are there any tools that can’t be accessed remotely, and if so, which ones should be? Where is there potential for tech solutions to enhance processes and create efficiencies? How can technology help add value to your services for clients?
You can start to answer those questions by organizing your firm’s current toolbox into three categories:
- Essential: These are the technologies that you and your team absolutely need in order to get critical tasks done.
- Important: These technologies handle crucial tasks, but those tasks could be accomplished using other tools and approaches.
- Nice to have: These are tools that would be helpful, but your firm’s work wouldn’t suffer without them.
Step 3: Research what’s out there
Once you’ve determined what tools are the most important to your firm’s operations, then you can research whether any cloud-based versions are available. This would also be a good time to look at how best to fill any empty slots in your firm’s tech toolbox. Could critical tasks such as workflows be made easier and more efficient? Is there a cloud-based solution that could automate them?
Step 4: Consider a new platform
Then address the next questions: Could all of these tools operate within a single cloud-based platform? And could that platform allow your firm to streamline its entire IT function?
One such platform that has been developed specifically for the legal profession is 3E from Thomson Reuters. 3E allows lawyers and support staff to access tools and data whenever they need them and wherever they’re working. It has process models embedded, automates workflows, and delivers real time insights. It provides the high level of cybersecurity that all businesses need, and it can scale up as a firm’s headcount and data requirements grow. In addition, 3E incorporates financial management technology that’s been built specifically for large and midsize law firms. All of which adds up to efficient, effective ways of working, enabling you to do more in less time. It’s the only solution created by legal experts for the legal industry. We call it being 3E Productive.
Can a move to the cloud help your firm?
If a platform like 3E sounds like the kind of tech that would make your firm more efficient, request a free demo or contact a Thomson Reuters representative and take a test drive.
To learn more about the benefits, download Thomson Reuters’ white paper on productivity in the cloud.
