The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/480238
The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Status Quo Itself Copyright © 2015 Aderant Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. www.aderant.com | info@aderant.com | 888-604-2366 Every person and every organization experiences fear of change. It's natural—it protects us from dangerous, impulsive mistakes and ensures that we won't abandon what has worked in the past. at fear, however, can also become a debilitating obstacle to advancement. Without creative ideas, improved strategies or new products, most businesses will eventually lose their way. e status quo, in other words, is what you should really fear! A story in Forbes even gave a name to this invisible, yet formidable competitor: e Status Quo Police. e Status Quo Police make sure that organizations lock in on the things that helped them succeed early on and perpetuate what worked last year. ey insist on blind adherence to the company's existing technology, product lines, distribution system and customer base. ey ignore shifting market dynamics and areas for potential growth. Are the Status Quo Police running some law firms? Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. In a piece titled Changing the Status Quo, the Law Firm Transitions Blog argued that big investments in infrastructure keep firms from adopting faster, less expensive technology. Lawyers are afraid of collaborating on business development for fear of having to share clients. Many would rather keep a small piece of business with one client than take a chance to expanding the relationship by introducing to new talent – even when that talent is their own partners." Even from the client side, there's weariness with the status quo at many law firms. According to the 15th Annual Altman Weil Chief Legal Officer Survey, 42 percent of CLO's say they like to work with firms that offer innovative service delivery and only 4 percent "are satisfied with the traditional legal service delivery model". History is littered with examples of organizations so tied to how things were done in the past that they end up deterring innovation, and law firms are susceptible to the same trap. Just because your way of doing things worked in the past doesn't guarantee future success. And without constantly adjusting your methods and goals to changing conditions you risk losing ground. Is your firm facing a status quo challenge? Reprinted from Aderant ink Tank article by Chris Cartrett, Senior Vice President of Global Sales on January 15, 2015 www.aderant.com/thinktank