Legal leaders answer the call for change in 2024

Many law firms rely on traditional methods of networking that limit the opportunity for people of all genders and all races to attain expert status in their organization. Our research indicates that knowledge workers perceive knowledge hoarding as both intentional and important for individual gains. Even if that is not the intent, perceptions matter.

Experts can emerge from any demographic in the company, and opening new avenues for exchanging knowledge allows an organization to break free of its conventions and entertain new ideas, which leads to different, and often better, outcomes.

Soliciting and rewarding contributions from employees at all levels boosts their feelings of being valued and respected as people within their organizations. According to Gallup and Workhuman, high-quality recognition yields tangible benefits, helping to reduce employee turnover and lost productivity.

In the Kaplan study, a respondent remarked that firms in a growth phase are wary of creating insecurities around job reduction due to new technology. The goal is to expand services with technology rather than using technology to reduce roles.

The right document management technology can empower users to work efficiently and securely from any location, consolidating data into a secure, centralized, cloud-based system to reduce search times and improve access. Streamlining administrative and repetitive tasks with AI-enabled automation reduces hours spent on non-billable work. And the best technology integrates seamlessly into daily workflows — opening opportunities to improve existing processes.

Implementing these technologies checks boxes on both sides — enabling your firm to expand its services while bringing greater satisfaction to employees. Clients benefit, too, because the best platforms protect sensitive data using advanced security protocols so you can maintain client trust, while positioning the firm as forward-thinking. They can also provide usage analytics that help leaders make better-informed decisions.

And speaking of decisions, where does generative AI fit into the scenario we just described?

The AI conundrum

Seasoned lawyers may question new approaches. But emerging legal leaders know their firm needs modern strategies and technologies that solve foundational issues to build a more sustainable, more profitable future.

We can't prevent change, but we can prepare for it. Your firm's success hinges on its readiness to adapt quickly with all the means in your control.

Teamwork is foundational to success. A culture of cooperation underpins innovation. Measurable firmwide goals such as profitability, productivity, and growth can guide the introduction of new tools and processes.

To modernize operations and integrate AI, analytics, and automation tools seamlessly into workflows, a concerted effort with commitment from all levels is necessary. However, the effort is worthwhile and yields tangible benefits.

You can apply automation, analytics, and AI tools at nearly every step of a matter. Invest in change that aligns with the natural flow of legal work:

• Understand root problems and their related inefficiencies.
• Map workflows: steps taken, data exchanged, systems accessed.
• Identify where AI-enabled technology can automate repetitive tasks and support decision-making.
• Determine where to incorporate role-based and customizable functions.
• Embrace an iterative approach with periodic reviews, refine workflows, and address usability issues.​


The proliferation of publicly available large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and others seemed to take the world by storm. But while there is potential for generative AI to be transformative, this “breakthrough technology” looks far less new and novel to the organizations that began successfully applying AI to solving knowledge work problems many years ago.

Collective knowledge

Or, as we like to say, collective intelligence.

We discussed using a centralized platform to manage and track client and matter information, documents, and communications and enable collaborative work. Connecting your people, processes, and data creates an agile information-sharing network. This structured approach makes it easy for lawyers and staff to find and access relevant information quickly. But what more can you do on that platform to get the maximum return on that information?

Access to matter-specific and business intelligence data empowers legal professionals to refine processes and deliver more profitable services. By standardizing the methods used to collect, organize, and analyze data and by prioritizing data-driven decision-making, you can gain actionable insights to help you meet the diverse needs of various user groups.

In fact, one of the most important current outcomes of upping your collective knowledge game is being better positioned to acquire, retain, and nurture the best talent in the industry.