Winning hearts to drive tech adoption — a complex matter
Law firm leaders’ thirst for tech innovation doesn’t seem to be quenching. If anything, the latest figures from the annual Briefing/HSBC UK law firm strategy and investment research confirms it is only increasing, as firms are expected to spend an average of 6% of annual revenue on IT in 2024-25 — a boost from 5% last year. Generative AI (genAI) in particular, seems to have piqued firms’ interest, with almost 90% of top 100 firms having at least trialled genAI tools, compared to only 55% in 2023, according to PwC’s snapshot of the legal market late last year.
The desire to invest in and implement tech solutions may be a key priority for decision-makers, but driving tech adoption across the entire firm is not an easy task, as not all fee earners and support staff are as eager to embrace technology.
There could be many reasons behind people’s scepticism or reluctance to reshape their work habits with the use of tech. However, our recent conversation with several industry experts — including the operations, technology and risk leaders who attended our recent breakfast club with SmartSearch — suggest some are more prevalent than others.
For some, it’s a matter of pride. After months or years of honing one’s skills, it’s normal to feel satisfaction in completing tasks you excel in — so why let tech take your glory? Not only that, but learning how to use a tool for something you can do with your eyes closed may seem like a counterintuitive and time-consuming exercise that defeats the purpose of using tech in the first place.
Others may be put off by previous bad experiences. People naturally tend to notice the negatives and remember them more vividly. As such, someone who’s encountered issues using a particular tool might not be so keen to embrace it in the long run.
However, above all these personal objections lies a bigger, more fundamental issue blocking firm-wide tech adoption — the clash between the billable hour model and tech’s promise to speed up processes. For decades, fee earners have worked on one simple principle: the longer you work, the more you and your firm earn. Moreover, they are still often bound by a set number of hours they need to complete. It’s no surprise, then, to see them so reluctant to embrace tech for their billable tasks, as faster work equals less money.
So how can law firms overcome these obstacles and get teams to see tech as a key to productivity, enabling more work to be won in the first place, rather than a hindrance? Once again, there’s no all-encompassing answer to the conundrum, just theories. During this roundtable discussion, some experts emphasised the importance of ensuring people’s first experience using a new tech tool should be excellent — in that case, they are more likely to react positively to the change, which is the first step to getting them aboard the tech adoption train.
Another key factor is where you deploy that tech — more specifically, one operations leader believed the solutions must be focused on solving the tasks that lawyers hate to do, rather than replace the things they love.
Law firms also shouldn’t underestimate the power of their own people. Leaders at the table explained that finding key players who see the value of technology for improving the weighting of different tasks in their own work lives — such as secretaries — can be very beneficial for wider tech adoption, as they can help to explain the advantage and convince others to embrace it to improve their ways of working too. It’s certainly positive to hear that so-called ‘support’ roles can find a place to influence true business change.
Solving the pricing conundrum, meanwhile, poses a bigger problem. Although alternative fee structures could potentially make fee earners more open to more tech innovation — as they are less pressure to meet specific billable time quotas — the billable hour system still dominates this sector. As such, some senior decision-makers are considering other ways — such as offering bonuses — to reward people who are actively using technology, identifying potential improvements, and helping others embrace these tools.
Overcoming barriers to wider tech adoption in law firms can be a complex process. However, ultimately, it often boils down to one overarching thing: having a culture that incentivises people for using time-saving tech tools — and helps them realise their benefit in the quest for increased productivity.
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