Blending in

The advent of technological change in legal services is still viewed by some law firms with a mixture of suspicion and dread. For many lawyers, the arrival of online services, document automation and new models for delivering law means something akin to the death of the legal professional, particularly as more and more non-traditional providers such as the AA, Saga and the Co-operative are using these new models to enter the legal services market.

According to this view, the development of processes which systematise and commoditise legal services herald a cheapening of the law, marginalising the contribution of lawyers and replacing a carefully crafted bespoke service with an influx of 'pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap' legal products. As a result, for a number of firms the word 'online' only suggests the image of a cut-price will sold from their website; a pure web product involving no interaction between the lawyer and the client.

This view is a misunderstanding of how technology is changing the market and is a primary reason why some firms are being held back. The advent of online legal services does not mean the death of the legal professional. What it does is enable them to deliver exactly what the market is demanding '“ easier access to professional services at fixed costs.

Lawyers are still highly regarded as trusted legal experts among the public. The points of friction are accessibility, convenience and price. For firms, the word 'online' should suggest methods to address those client concerns by delivering components of their professional services more efficiently and conveniently. This can now be achieved through online technology systems which operate on a 'software as a service' (SaaS) model and allow law firms to adapt their business model.

Meeting demand

A practical example of this is the servicing of clients over the web. Using online legal document automation technology, many law firms have integrated online questionnaires into their website which enable clients to instruct them at their own convenience. These questionnaires present the client with the same questions a solicitor would ask them during a face-to-face interview to capture their information. The system then uses pre-programmed intelligence to automatically generate a detailed first draft of a legal document whose language and clauses reflect the information entered by the client. What this form of document automation provides is a highly detailed first draft of a legal document to which the solicitor can later make amendments and revisions.

In this example, the application of 'online' addresses the demands of consumers for greater accessibility, speed and convenience. Effectively the web becomes an extension of the law firm's office, a means of convenient interaction between the solicitor and client. As well as extending the range of the lawyer's professional service, the process of taking client instructions and drafting documents is made much more efficient. Document automation technology performs the interview and the initial drafting of the document leaving the bespoke changes and the building of the lawyer-client relationship to the solicitor. By systemising certain components of the delivery of a legal service, the solicitor's time is freed up to concentrate on other aspects which can bring value to the practice.

Saving time and money

With the greater efficiencies achieved by technology, fixed-price models for individual services can also be offered should the law firm find it prudent; with less risk to the firm or detriment to the recoverable hourly rate. Using such a model Russell Jones & Walker was able to deliver more than 1,200 wills to clients over the web in the past 12 months through the firm's 'Your Legal Rights' service without having to compromise on quality. However, fixed costs don't have to be a 'one fee fits all' and can be arranged with each client individually if preferred. Firms can simply build technology into their existing fee structure.

'Online' and 'automation' don't always mean remote. The same technology described can be used to enhance the traditional meetings between solicitors and clients. For a firm such as Stephensons Solicitors, the application of document automation is during the face-to-face interview with the client when the solicitor enters their information directly into system. This means retaining the same process as before but simply doing things quicker and more efficiently '“ for both the solicitor and the client.

These examples should demonstrate to firms that 'online' and 'automation' don't mean having to slash prices and go head to head on the web with the new entrants. It is about trading on the professional service and expertise a law firm is renowned for, but making that service more accessible and priced in a way the market is increasingly demanding. It means figuring out ways to make your exiting clients' experience more convenient. It means looking at the way you currently draft documents and forms and determining a process which will generate cost savings and save you time. It means being able to offer fixed pricing instead of being stuck with the hourly rate.

Legal professionals can survive and thrive in the in the new legal landscape but the opportunities must be seized.