In the latest episode of The Link at The Law of Tech, we sit down with Jack Shepherd from iManage to discuss some of the key ‘need to haves’ to achieve impactful legal innovation.
Central to our discussion is the important consideration: “Efficiency is never an ultimate outcome.” While efficiency is important, it should not be the sole focus; rather, technology should enhance the human experience in legal work.
Amongst many insightful points, here are our top 3 snapshots from the conversation:
- Legal Tech Tools Versus Business Outcomes: To justify the investment and implementation of legal tech tools, they must be tied to clear business outcomes. Business teams should first evaluate their needs, capabilities, and readiness for change. By thoroughly addressing these aspects, they can define measurable business outcomes—key performance indicators (KPIs)—that support the allocation of funds and facilitate effective rollout across their team(s).
- Exercise Empathy in Client Engagements: Empathy is essential for understanding client challenges, yet it is often overlooked in the process. While measuring time and resources is second nature in business, tracking empathy throughout a project is less common. Empathy is typically viewed as a skill to apply at the start of a project, but what if it were integrated throughout the entire journey? Embracing empathy during the ups and downs of a project can strengthen resilience and better equip the team to navigate challenges.
- Balancing Profitability with Purpose: A singular focus on profitability can overshadow other critical values in legal practices, such as employee retention and well-being. While increasing revenue and cutting costs may be universal goals, they cannot be the sole drivers. Without a shared sense of purpose and a collective journey with your team, even the most well-crafted strategies risk falling flat. This perspective prompts important questions: Why do we turn to legal tech for support, and what can we truly achieve when we leverage it effectively?
Jack joined us to explore these topics and more. Tune in to catch the full episode with us!
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