How to Transform Your Legal Department With Technology

When Dr. Frankenstein made his monster, he took no thought for his creature's impact on the townspeople.

That was his big mistake, turning the creation story into a tragic tale. Unless, of course, we're talking about the next generation; that was a different story.

Not to compare monsters to legal departments, but there is a modern story in the making. Technology is nothing if it's not people-friendly.

Transforming People

Writing for Corporate Counsel, Dan Carmel says new technologies are changing legal departments. But too often, he says, lawyers haven't transformed how they work.

"Very few corporate legal departments have considered how to strategically leverage digital technologies to transform how they work and collaborate," he says.

He said lawyers need to use technology more to increase productivity and adapt to business changes. For example, they can use smart programs to:

• Intelligently search and manage knowledge for analytics
• Identify internal experts and resources in their companies
• Automate cognitive tasks, analyze contracts and other legal documents

In other words, it's much more than learning how to secure email, commute remotely, and use cloud storage.

Practical Applications

Artificial intelligence can process discovery, craft contracts, do billing, and much more. AI can even shop for other software to do the job.

Fred Krebs, an in-house coach, said it's about "situational awareness." Corporate counsel need to be aware of the changes in technology, then adapt with practical applications.

As long as lawyers adapt, they don't have to worry about robots taking their jobs. That would be even scarier than Frankenstein's monster.

Realted Resources:

• Are Lawyer Bots Impacting Jobs? (FindLaw's Technologist)
• How Employers Can Use Tech to Become More Inclusive (FindLaw's In House)
• Don't Ignore Sexual Harassment Complaints at Your Company (FindLaw's In House)