How to prepare a legal firm for digital change

Landmark Information have written a blog article that looks at what a legal firm needs to do to prepare for digital change.

Change within a legal firm can be disruptive, disconnecting and daunting. Shifting an entire team from one digital programme to another is no mean feat, and there’s plenty to consider before implementing change.

The most important factor, as with any leadership decision, is to consider your team’s shared values and goals and bring everyone in on your vision to ensure a smooth transition – but this is often easier said than done. So, what are the most important things to watch out for and how should legal firms go about driving digital change in a way that works for everyone?

Create a change-friendly culture:

Communication is key throughout all areas of the organisation for any digital change to be a success. Creating a supportive environment so people can voice their concerns or make suggestions is vital for instilling confidence in the team, to ensure they’re ready to adapt to whatever change you’re making.

A simple way of making sure the entire team is on board is by selecting a taskforce with members from across the business. Having a central team create a plan to outline a clear pathway that details objectives, timelines and responsibilities should ease the process and calm any nerves. It also ensures buy-in from a range of levels across the business as the taskforce will be able to advocate for the change internally.

Provide training opportunities and communicate transparently:

Consider your team’s current skillset and whether they’ll appreciate a series of training sessions on a new tool before it’s fully implemented. Offering the opportunity to learn and ‘play’ with a system that’s not yet fully set up allows them to get to grips with the features without fear of failure or making mistakes.

Once the new tool is installed, continue to offer workshops or tutorials to keep building the team’s confidence, and give them a chance to share their learnings to assist a smooth transition.

Collaborate and build partnerships:

Whilst your team work together using your new technology product to enhance their work for clients, don’t be afraid to ask your network of fellow lawyers, tech experts and service providers about their experiences in implementing change – you could even find an incredibly useful solution to a problem you just can’t seem to crack.

Compliance, regulation and data security:

Staying compliant as a law firm is essential in this ever-evolving industry. Make sure your processes meet the necessary regulatory and ethical standards as you make the transition to a new product and be diligent once the change is complete, too. The golden rule here is to ask if you’re not sure – the reputational risk to a legal firm caught out by a compliance mishap is simply too great not to take seriously.

Similarly, it goes without saying that robust data security and privacy measures must be prioritised to protect sensitive information and maintain your reputation.

Measure, discuss and evaluate:

To check that the change you’ve made has been beneficial to the team, monitor from the get-go to measure its effectiveness, identify obstacles or potential issues and be agile for any adjustments that need to be made. Again, ensuring you seek insight and opinion from a cross-section of your team will be vital.

Establishing a plan, communicating it widely, offering support and being open to suggestions and recommendations is a simple, yet effective way to implement change in the least disruptive way possible. Embracing the change as a continuous process, rather than a one-time event, will enable every legal firm to stay agile and adaptive in the dynamic landscape of technological advancements and industry shifts.

See more in our digital guide here.

Written by Elizabeth Jarvis, Managing Director of Landmark Search

Kindly shared by Landmark Information