Automation can be defined in many ways by many industries; however, it doesn’t always have to apply to complex procedures like robotic process automation (RPA) or “advanced tasks.” In law firms, automation is frequently defined as using software to automate tedious and repetitive tasks to get work done faster and more efficiently. Law firms can automate a substantial portion of their work with technology. For example, most firms repurpose their pleadings, templates, form letters, and other documents completed for past clients – why reinvent the wheel? Yet, according to a recent Statista survey, 75 percent of the lawyers who responded said they spent more than 20 hours per week on non-billable work like legal research, court filings, and administrative tasks.

According to a McKinsey Global Institute report, over 23 percent of a lawyer’s work can be handled by technology. In addition, half of all lawyers are already using some form of workflow automation. Legal practice management software is a valuable part of a law firm’s toolkit that will save time by automating tedious, low-value tasks, allowing attorneys to focus on substantive legal work instead.

Adoption of legal technology is on the rise and legal professionals are using legal practice management software to enhance the productivity of their practices. Not only because of more individuals working from home, but advancements in technology overall have contributed to the legal industry embracing technology in the workplace.

There is often a great deal of confusion regarding document storage and document management systems. As a result, companies often wrestle with the following questions: Which solution is the simplest to manage, the most cost-effective, and the best overall?

Most legal matters involve hundreds of documents, many of which have numerous iterations along the way. Zola Suite’s robust document management system not only helps firms efficiently manage these files, but also offers interoperability with Zola’s other native matter management tools, maximizing efficiency and productivity.

Since breaking with tradition and starting the next-generation cloud practice management movement (what we refer to as Cloud LPM 2.0) nearly six years ago, Zola Suite has helped tens of thousands of legal professionals work more efficiently, creating a synergistic solution that helps rid firms of disjointed applications for matter and financial management.

It’s safe to say that 2020 threw us all a curveball. Despite the hardships this year brought, the legal industry rose to the challenge, adapting operations and offering new services to help clients through these unprecedented times. We asked Zola partners to share some of the trends they witnessed in 2020 and how they may affect the transition to cloud-based solutions. In part two of this series, these legal technology experts also share their predictions for what’s to come in 2021.

Has your firm’s growth stalled? Are you struggling to scale your operations or your team? It’s often hard to pinpoint one reason why a firm seems to be stuck in neutral, cruising along but not accelerating. The cause is often a combination of things ranging from ineffective teams and poor processes to inadequate systems and subpar reporting. While restructuring your teams and bringing in fresh talent may not be an easy fix, correcting the processes and systems that are holding your practice back can be an easier feat to tackle; one that will yield immediate results and ultimately help you hit the gas on growth.

Do you often draft the same type of document for different clients? Do you try to use the same one as a base? Remember the last time you had to draft a document? What steps did you take?