Digital White Papers

I L T A W H I T E P A P E R | L I T I G A T I O N A N D P R A C T I C E S U P P O R T 67 S M A R T S P A C E S : T H E N E X T F R O N T I E R F O R L E G A L T E C H ? 6. Secured Every discussion about legal tech should begin and end with security. Protecting the sensitive data, confidential documents and proprietary information that legal functions interact with on a daily basis is paramount. Security also takes center stage, because building a legal smart space requires a cloud-based platform to bring everyone and everything together, regardless of where they're located. Dealing with jurisdictional requirements is another important data consideration. My recommendation? Choose security wisely. The legal industry has a reputation for being a notoriously late adopter—well-earned in some cases— when it comes to pushing the envelope of technical innovation. But with the introduction of smart spaces as the new frontier, that view is likely to change as law firms and in-house teams continue to experiment with the concept and improve on it. In the next few years, don't be surprised if legal smart spaces dominate the discussion of what's possible, because of the real value they can deliver. ILTA networking, data management, reporting and so on. It also must integrate with third-party tools that might add valuable functionality. 4. Automated Overlapping most of the other requirements, while making its own unique contribution, automation is essential to a legal smart space. From incorporating enriched AI data to eliminating manual tasks to streamlining approval workflow to generating documents automatically, legal functions can't become more strategic and effective without introducing some automation. Most technolo trends and predictions begin with automation. The reason? It saves time and resources, drives better decisions and mitigates risk. 5. Purposeful Creating a legal smart space that has a distinct purpose, or "scope" as Gartner defines it, is important—especially when you're deploying one to manage a matter, project, M&A deal or request. The term "solution" fits well here, because you're bringing people and technolo together to solve a problem or fulfill a need. CMS did that when they created a "smart space" to handle the contract review process for an acquisition. They provided just the right mix of capabilities to tackle the job as efficiently as they could. Don Fuchs Don began his career as a corporate and securities attorney in a large NW law firm and later practiced in house for several technology companies. Since leaving active practice two decades ago, Don has used his legal background and expertise to help law firms and corporate legal teams work more intelligently and collaboratively. He began his legal tech career in the late 90s when he cofounded Legal Anywhere, a provider of secure collaboration solutions for law firms. That opportunity was where Don was first able to combine his business acumen and law degree with his affinity for emerging technologies. Fast-forward to today, and Legal Anywhere is now part of HighQ where Don serves as Vice President. His focus remains the same, however—helping legal organizations streamline collaboration, legal service delivery, legal operations and client engagement to compete more effectively and differentiate themselves. Don works closely with the world's leading law firms and in-house legal departments helping them effectively implement secure, practical and capable solutions that prepare them for the constantly shifting legal landscape. His goal is to help them be more intelligent, proactive and innovative with their delivery of legal services.

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