Implementation & Adoption
Rolling out LegalTech:
10 strategic takeaways
How do you maximize the benefits of legal technology within your organization? Henchman gathered an international panel of legal tech experts to shine a light on that question. Conan Hines (Fried Frank), Aalia Manie (Webber Wentzel), and Joshua Fireman (Fireman & Co) took a deep dive into the topic, sharing their knowledge, best practices, and prime examples of how to achieve actual outcomes. “Hopefully I’ll get a few nuggets out of the hot air today.” Conan Hines so aptly said at the start of the discussion and that’s exactly what we got from him and his fellow panelists.
10 key takeaways explored by experts:
1. Holistic tech adoption
When choosing legal tech, it’s not about the bells and whistles or how much you’ve spent on a tool. It’s about whether people are using the tool and whether it serves the purpose of why it was brought into the firm.By adopting legal technology platforms that provide value across multiple practice areas, law firms can avoid isolated tech stacks: while different silos might ask for specific solutions, it’s not sustainable (and also very hard) to maintain that type of specialization. Therefore it’s crucial to understand all practice areas, especially the ones generating the most revenue, and engage with them.
“It is crucial for firms to seek technology platforms that can provide value across the board. The art is finding the ubiquitous thread where the technology can help multiple practice areas.” – Conan Hines, Director of Legal Technology at Fried Frank
2. User-centric approach
Gathering business requirements from all users, including lawyers, administrative assistants, and paralegals, ensures that technology adoption addresses real obstacles and needs, leading to better alignment with firm goals.
“I’m one of those people who thinks everyone in the law firm is a professional, not just those with law degrees… You can’t talk about a strategy for adoption without consulting your lawyers, administrative assistants, paralegals, and other professionals” – Joshua Fireman, President & Founder at Fireman & Company
3. Foster a culture of innovation
Adoption begins with fostering open communication and empathy. Lawyers may be cautious of change due to past experiences, but they will come around when they see the value. That is why it’s important to be able to articulate that value. You are not automating for the sake of automation, you are doing it to improve their way of working, to alleviate their paper-pushing burden, or to make their clients happier. That is the reason to believe.
Showcasing incremental wins builds confidence and momentum. Leadership must communicate a clear vision of how technology can enhance operations and client service. Continuous learning and re-evaluation ensure firms stay ahead of the curve.
“The sense of change for the sake of change is what worries people. Especially lawyers who have years and years of experience of having change imposed on them while their professional lives have not changed in any significant way.” – Joshua Fireman, President & Founder at Fireman & Company
4. Incremental change management
Articulating clear objectives for technology adoption and providing continuous support, training, and user feedback are essential for successful implementation. But training alone is not enough, it’s important to build skills and trust. Creating realistic user-profiles and planning for gradual implementation helps in managing complex transitions. If you know who you’re training, you can also decide on the best moment and way of organizing the training, embedding it in the way the firm runs its broader training programs.
“Training alone is insufficient for true technology adoption. It needs to go beyond a general overview and be tailored to specific roles and use cases. Achieving real change involves defining the ultimate goal and figuring out how to reach it incrementally.” – Joshua Fireman, President & Founder at Fireman & Company
5. Pilot programs and ambassadors
Implementing pilot programs to test and refine technology solutions allows for evaluating effectiveness and ensures successful adoption. It’s important to use the tool in your own environment before buying it. You want to know whether it solves the problem functionally, but also if it works well on your system, if people can easily log in, and whether it’s not creating any friction. Moreover, by the time you launch, you’ll have a group of super users who thoroughly tested the tech solutions and helped to identify and address potential issues early on
“I recommend implementing pilot programs instead of directly buying after a demo. They help create a group of super users who understand the tool well and can support broader adoption. Pilots also help identify and address issues before a full-scale launch, providing valuable data points for ongoing business cases.” – Aliaa Manie, Head of Fusion at Webber Wentzel
6. Detailed user personas
Know your users and make sure to cater to them, and understand who your nay-sayers are and what is stopping them from change. Creating a three-dimensional picture of users and their roles, motivation and technological skills will help you understand what tools they will benefit from. This allows for better planning and measuring progress, reassessing strategies, and maintaining the flexibility to try again if first attempts fail. A comprehensive plan, investment in people, and a commitment to continuous improvement are required.
“It’s so important to get to know the users and really get under their skin. That way, you can be sure you’re setting realistic expectations for adoption.” – Aliaa Manie, Head of Fusion at Webber Wentzel
7. End-to-end user experience
Attention to the entire user journey, including seemingly minor steps such as login processes, is crucial for smooth adoption and avoiding setbacks. It can help to have a group of people who believe there’s an opportunity or a problem to co-own the projects. They are more likely to give you the feedback or data that you need to understand what success looks like and track against it. And as a side-effect, co-ownership also often tends to create a community around a project, as the people involved talk about it to their peers.
“Don’t forget about those little trivial steps that aren’t really part of the problem you’re trying to solve, like logging into the system. These ‘minor’ things can significantly impact user acceptance.” – Conan Hines, Director of Legal Technology at Fried Frank
8. Measurable metrics for success
Establishing clear metrics such as detailed usage statistics, user engagement levels, and the willingness of lawyers to interact with the tech team helps evaluate the success and impact of tech implementations. It can help to create a heat map based on the feedback that you’re getting: if you’re mapping the requirements against the different focus groups, you’ll be able to make the case for the change in the firm more easily.
“The metric I use is how many lawyers will take my call and how many minutes they will give me on that call. That is the golden metric right there.” – Conan Hines, Director of Legal Technology at Fried Frank
9. Structured implementation process
A structured process and framework for technology implementation supports a culture of continuous improvement and ensures user appreciation. Lawyers today are more aware of the potential for improved efficiency and are open to change due to economic pressure and client demands.
“Having a structured approach can earn the appreciation of lawyers, who recognize and value the effort to bring order to their workflows.” – Conan Hines, Director of Legal Technology at Fried Frank
10. User attachment and feedback
Gauging users’ attachment to tools and reactions to potential cancellations can provide significant insights into the tool’s importance and value, serving as a soft measure of success.
“I always ask them point-blank ‘If we were to cancel this tool tomorrow, how would you feel? Would you be able to deliver the same product of the same quality in the same time frame within the same cost?”. – Aliaa Manie, Head of Fusion at Webber Wentzel
Can’t get enough?
In summary, it’s important to know and understand your users and make sure you involve them in the process. Not only will you create ambassadors, but you’ll know how to measure success and identify potential problems early on. You’ll increase adoption and maximize the value of your legal technology implementation. We dare say these insights are as yummy as the classic chicken nuggets. Still hungry? You can watch the full webinar here.