Peer to Peer Magazine

WWW.ILTANET.ORG 57 • Mobility: Today, much work takes place outside the office. Attorneys are trying to balance the need to be mobile with being responsive to client matters and progressing important legal documents. Being tied to desks no longer makes sense. The need to update case information, manage calendar meetings and log billable hours while on the go has become an evident need. • Fragmentation: Many practices assemble software as they go, which results in attorneys working from several incompatible applications. This often ends in time being wasted working on the wrong document version, entering the same information into different applications and trying to understand the history of a document and what has changed. In fact, 87 percent of legal professionals state that it's important for them to have visibility over the editing history of a document. With 64 percent also claiming they need one central workspace to share, review and collaborate on documents from anywhere, technology that provides this ability during the document review cycle is likely to continue to be a requirement throughout 2015. Mobilizing content will be crucial, as 66 percent of legal professionals say it's important, if not very important, that this workspace be accessible from a mobile device. • Administration: 65 percent of legal professionals think their firm could automate more processes around document review. In a world becoming more about flat fees, with growth reliant on the ability to log minutes and keep time sheets, firms must master the balancing act of expanding into new markets with the ability to show value in order to increase billable hours. Administrative tasks should be automated so attorneys can spend more time with clients and on providing counsel. EXPANSION IN 2015 For many law firms, the opportunity for growth in 2015 will come from expanding into new markets across the globe. This will drive more mergers next year, as many large law firms look to partner with established players in the market that share the same ethos and vision. Merging with an established player is also a strategic way for a firm to acquire the skills needed to operate at an enterprise level in their desired market. However, growth will only succeed if firms maintain and improve efficiency and service delivery, showing clients value above the competition. Workshare's Smarter Working report revealed that organizational efficiency was top of the agenda for many firms and corporate counsel, with 64 percent of legal professionals reporting their employer had adopted technology, mobile technology and flexible working to improve organizational efficiency. When asked what the main drivers for improving organizational efficiency would be in 2015, 26 percent said productivity increases, 21 percent said better service delivery, and 16 percent said growth and expansion. PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH Attorneys, trainers and practice managers need to seek out applications that can help automate processes and increase productivity. Everyday tasks such as document reviews take away from valuable billable hours, and firms need to get those hours back. Focusing on applications that automate unbillable tasks, firms can go from being a matter-focused organization to thinking more strategically about how their attorneys can add even more value to clients and achieve greater profitability and growth. About the Author Stephen Allen is the Director of Service Delivery & Quality at DLA Piper. Contact him at stephen.allen@dlapiper.com. Aggregate global 100 revenue rose by 4.3 percent last year to a record $88.7 billion — 11 percent higher than the group managed at the height of the boom in 2008.

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