A No-Fail Process for Improving Your Law Firm With Technology: Fall in Love With The Problem

5 minutes learn

Up to date Jul 8, 2025

Start with the issue

Earlier than you consider doable improvements in your apply, you first must prioritize what drawback(s) you purpose to resolve.

It’s actually tempting to do the other. Everytime you attend a authorized convention or examine your e mail inbox, it’s simple to prioritize options first. You see 100 shiny objects that supply a simple approach out. Resist the temptation!

You don’t simply desire a answer, however the appropriate one in your particular drawback (and agency). Comply with this five-step course of for prioritizing and deciding on instruments that can be most impactful in your agency:

Stroll to the closest whiteboard or wall. Use sticky notes to mind dump every part that drives you nuts about your agency. Shopper communication, courtroom filings, doc drafting, accounts payable, and so on. However be as particular as doable. Dig into the broad issues to establish the particular ache factors. Put each drawback on the wall.
Prioritize these issues utilizing a easy rubric. Determine which components make some issues extra impactful than others. Would fixing an issue convey new income? Is there a time constraint that bumps up the urgency? Are purchasers impacted by an issue? Resolve which few components transfer the needle most for you and use that to attain the issues you’ve caught to the wall. Corporations may have staff members vote with stickers or pins to select essentially the most important issues to them — no matter works for you. Then transfer the sticky notes with essentially the most alerts of precedence as much as the highest. The issue that finally ends up on prime is the one you’re going to resolve first.
Now, keep targeted on that one drawback. Begin the brainstorming course of once more and use equally expansive considering to think about doable options to your drawback. Are there low-tech options? Folks-intensive options? Automation? Create a brand new set of sticky notes with each doable answer to your one drawback.
As you probably did along with your authentic set of issues, prioritize your options with a easy set of things which can be most necessary to you. Perhaps you pin options which can be least expensive. Perhaps you give factors to the quickest answer, the one with essentially the most downstream impression, or the best to implement. On the finish of this second prioritization train, you’ll have one answer that ties instantly again to your one drawback.
With answer in hand, set a deadline and establish an advocate. You’ll want one one who’ll personal implementation. In case you’re a solo lawyer, you’ll be able to rent some assist for this, or fake that ‘CEO You’ has an task for ‘Lawyer You.’ Regardless of the consequence, one particular person ought to have a transparent imaginative and prescient of the issue/answer pairing and be empowered to handle the implementation course of for the remainder of the staff. (Learn extra about course of adjustments and know-how implementation greatest practices to additional enhance your possibilities of success.)

‍A pattern drawback/answer pair

Let’s take the instance of a household legislation apply (though this works with many alternative apply areas).

In case you serve households in divorce and custody proceedings, you would think about a really full wall of sticky-note-frustrations:

Shoppers are in a rush however don’t ship you the paperwork you want
Courts require well timed filings however ship again paperwork for obscure causes
You may’t acquire on hours or invoice for flat charges as circumstances look ahead to updates
You’re frightened that drafting errors are inflicting points however you’re caught with “discover and substitute” in Microsoft Phrase, and so on.

Of all of the doable issues, you determine to concentrate on high quality management. You’re most afraid of purchasers noticing embarrassing errors in a footer after a late night time of labor, otherwise you’ve had a number of courtroom filings rejected for errors in paperwork.

With one drawback on the board, you brainstorm options:

You may create each doc your self, from scratch
You would possibly buy a library of pricey types
A dearer contract legal professional would possibly give higher customized types
You may incorporate doc automation into your apply
Bringing in co-counsel would possibly show you how to distribute the chance of dangerous service, and so on.

In case you prioritize a low-cost answer that allows you to hold management of your processes and assure high quality, you would possibly transfer the “doc automation” sticky be aware to the highest.

Together with your drawback/answer pair, it’s time to implement.

The issue will hold you going

The toughest factor about enhancing your apply with authorized know-how is getting folks to really use the brand new instrument. Right here are some things you are able to do to offer your agency the very best probability at following via:

Select a undertaking supervisor. An assistant, affiliate, companion, you — somebody must personal the answer, vendor relationship, and keep targeted on making it profitable.
Determine a super-user. When one particular person commits to productively pushing again, implementation improves.
Get coaching. Most know-how firms include buyer success specialists. These service brokers are tasked with serving to you succeed. Use them.

Greater than something, hold the issue that motivated you in thoughts.

Shiny objects received’t hold you pushing forward (and a few will set you again farther in the event that they turn into a distraction and drive up your prices). Deal with the issue that irritated you within the first place to maintain transferring ahead. You would possibly even save that sticky be aware as a trophy reminding you or your staff of the way in which issues was once.

And whenever you’re happy, begin with the issue on the following sticky be aware under. One after the other, you’ll change your apply for the higher.

Flip issues into progress—with the appropriate authorized tech instruments

Bettering your legislation agency doesn’t must imply overhauling every part directly—it simply takes a considerate, problem-first method. If you anchor your selections in what truly wants fixing, you’re extra prone to undertake the appropriate options and make lasting adjustments. Whether or not it’s doc automation, streamlined billing, or higher consumer communication, Clio might help you sort out your agency’s greatest challenges with purpose-built authorized know-how.