The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1136335
46 T echnolo moves at lightning speed in the legal industry as it does everywhere. Law firms must continually maintain their IT infrastructure amid new regulations and security threats while also accounting for growth and other changing needs within the firm. This includes managing a myriad of evolving practice management tools and platforms to ensure the most modern and efficient delivery of service to firm clients. Along with all those priorities, IT departments also now have a role in the firm's innovation efforts, which includes identifying and implementing new and better ways for their firms to operate. Being innovative is all about looking beyond what the firm is doing and how it's doing it today to see new possibilities and a vision for what could be. It's about embracing new ideas, processes and technolo that can be leveraged to generate new revenue, improve productivity and increase profitability in an ever-competitive market. The legal market is incredibly competitive. As clients continue to become more sophisticated, their lawyers must find new and creative ways to deliver services not just more efficiently, but also using more modern processes and technolo to continually exceed expectations. And this translates directly to law firm IT departments and what their priorities must be in order to support their attorneys. Innovation isn't just a buzzword or trend. In the legal industry, innovation is becoming a functional area that more firms are prioritizing. Largely they are doing this to increase competitive advantages and proactively improve practice and business operations by leveraging digital technologies like artificial intelligence, data analytics and automation. For some firms, creating an innovation focus seems too lofty a goal to even start. Understanding its necessity, many are embarking on the process of establishing a strate and even hire resources to lead the initiative. But unfortunately, this is where the effort often stops. Realizing the next steps and What is "Innovation as a Service" and When Is It Right for My Firm? B Y A R U P D A S