P2P

51 I L T A N E T . O R G collaborations with other firms and new law companies, such as alternative legal service providers. • More attention to work-life balance, employee mental and physical wellness, and viewing of people as key firm assets. The clear subtext of these learnings is that the pandemic has flung open the door to re-prioritizing investments in not only real estate, but service delivery to clients. "An overwhelming 84% of firms plan to increase their technology budgets," the report states. Firms are clearly revisioning their technology suite, as well as how and to whom they outsource services. They are reevaluating how tech applications drive efficiency. For legal technology professionals, this development creates an accelerated reduction in risk aversion, which is astounding! It is overwhelmingly clear that unprecedented change has delivered unprecedented opportunity. The proof is in the pudding. As Kenneth Jones, Chief Technologist at Tanenbaum Keale, states, "Our longstanding commitment to the use of sophisticated technologies to extend and enhance client service benefited the firm and its clients in three key areas. The first, is legal operations, where our earlier adoption and enhancement of cloud applications allowed our teams to remain highly productive. Second, our technology subsidiary's private cloud product delivered uninterrupted access to our complex matter management systems and improved outcomes utilizing the predictive analytics capabilities inherent in the platform. And finally, partnering with a managed services provider and help desk that embraced one of the world's leading digital workflow platforms was instrumental in Tanenbaum Keale's support of our attorneys and professional staff in the unwavering support to our clients throughout the pandemic." Grabbing the Bull by the Horns – Navigating Success, Near & Long Term As we gear up for what could be a wild ride, it's important to develop a roadmap for success. In doing so, it's incumbent as firm technology leaders that we ask ourselves some very basic questions: What does change look like? What are the solutions to our process issues? How do we avoid merely throwing resources (money) at those solutions? What are the most logical, cost effective ways to remove risk? And most importantly, what technology and service elements are at the core of our firm's operating model? More clearly stated, which elements are at the core of our firm's business? In the shift from introspection to operation, firms must create an incremental framework that allows for achievable "Firms are clearly revisioning their technology suite, as well as how and to whom they outsource services."

• Cover