The law firm work environment has changed significantly over the past couple of years. Law firms across the globe are migrating to cloud-based legal software and remotely accessible technologies in order to improve efficiencies, stay ahead of the competition, and meet client demands. These tech investments are also becoming more essential in the increasingly heated battle for top talent.
However, this isn’t simply a matter of cloud-based technology no longer being a luxury for lawyers. It goes deeper than that. Time saved through remote working becomes vital in helping your practice be as productive as possible.
Why the cloud is the best option
Research has repeatedly shown that law firms that operate with greater speed and efficiency tend to be more successful compared to firms that don’t. Having comprehensive cloud-based law firm management software may be your firm’s lifeblood in a working environment that relies heavily on remote connectivity to technology.
Law firms must look at their internal processes if they want to succeed when operating remotely — especially if they plan on maintaining client relationships when working away from the office. This is where cloud legal software solutions come into play.
After law firms have cloud-based technology in place, it’s the functionality of the solutions that is the key to unlocking remote work success. Cloud-based solutions help law firms operate with maximum effectiveness and speed. There may be no portion of the business where this is truer than in the areas of finance and practice management. Having a comprehensive, remotely accessible solution that accommodates every aspect of the firm’s business provides the support your firm needs now and in the future.
How the cloud keeps lawyers connected
Before the pandemic, law firms tended to operate almost exclusively from on-premises solutions. Once work-from-home environments became the norm, there was a dramatic shift in thinking about remote connectivity. Firms were forced to rethink how they worked — and how they were going to get things done. For many of them, the solution was a move to the cloud. It was no longer a “nice to have.” It was absolutely essential.
A persistent question that remains inside many firms today is, “How secure is the cloud?” The good news is that cloud security is quite strong, with many providers offering a layered approach to security. And the development of state-of-the-art tools and constant monitoring help to prevent security breaches and attacks. These security benefits are among the many reasons that the pace of cloud adoption has increased with law firms.
The benefits of cloud-based practice management solutions
There are nearly countless ways that the cloud can help law firms improve their operations. Perhaps most importantly, cloud-based solutions free up valuable resources and remove the challenges associated with keeping on-premises solutions up to date. Here are a few more to consider:
- Immediate access to new enhancements: The cloud is always up to date, unlike on-premises financial and practice management solutions. Automatic upgrades eliminate the need to manage version installs and allow users to quickly enjoy the benefits of new functionality.
- Scalability: The cloud offers flexible server space that can automatically adapt to accommodate increases in your firm’s activity as the firm grows, preventing performance issues and costly system downtime.
- Decreased costs: With the ongoing focus on law firm profitability, moving to a cloud solution eliminates the larger ongoing investment in hardware, software, and continual maintenance required to support on-premises solutions.
There is more the cloud can do to help your law firm
Firms around the globe have streamlined operations and improved productivity using cloud-based legal practice management solutions. The world’s most innovative large and mid-size law firms trust 3E to run their mission-critical financial and practice management operations. Learn more about what the cloud can do for your firm in the Thomson Reuters white paper.
– John McMicken
– Adam Stalder