The legal profession is one of the world’s age-old industries. So one would think that the sector is safe from disruption. But with the advent of cloud computing and digital transformation rapidly taking place in various sectors, it’s inevitable that the legal industry would soon follow suit.
Today, professionals are making use of new technologies in the legal world, whether to aid in understanding or applying the law. In an article in LawTech.Asia, legal technology or legal tech can include traditional legal research platforms, e-filing systems, smart contracts, and document proofreading software that uses natural language processing algorithms.
In Singapore, a new platform developed by the Ministry of Law and tech firm Lupl is set to launch this year. The Legal Technology Platform aims to become a “one-stop-shop” for local law practices, especially small and medium-sized law firms.
According to The Straits Times, legal professionals will be able to access matter templates for various types of cases, including steps and timelines. The platform also has a cloud service where lawyers can store their documents. Plus, lawyers can initiate conversations with colleagues and clients through a chat function and start Zoom calls.
In October 2019, the Singapore government launched the Legal Industry Technology and Innovation Roadmap, which sets out plans to promote innovation, as well as technology adoption and development in the legal industry for the next decade.
Types of legal tech
According to the Boston Consulting Group and Bucerius Law School, legal tech can be divided into three categories: enabler technologies, which facilitate the digitisation of legal data; support-process solutions, which infuse new efficiencies into case management, back-office work, accounting, business development, and the like; and substantive law solutions, which support or replace lawyers in executing core legal tasks in transactions and litigation cases.
Similarly, the Stanford CodeX Center for Legal Informatics has come up with its own classifications found in its database. The nine types are: analytics, document automation, compliance, legal education, legal research, marketplace, online dispute resolution, practice management, and eDiscovery.
So what does legal tech look like in action? For example, legal research software can cut the research time spent on building cases since lawyers and their staff can easily search for court judgments, laws, statutes, and the like. In terms of client relationship management, CRM software can help lawyers manage their contact and calendars more efficiently.
In Singapore, an AI knowledge management platform has been working with a prestigious law firm to pilot a system that will automate categorisation and fetch documents based on context instead of just keywords.
Legal tech can also be a platform that provides clients better and more efficient access to lawyers regionally or globally. It can also be an on-demand marketplace where small to medium firms can outsource tasks. There are plenty of applications for legal tech, especially with Singapore start-ups and companies exploring different ways to innovate the legal industry.
Benefits of legal tech
The legal profession often entails repetitive and laborious tasks. Legal tech seeks to lessen some of these manual processes through automation, machine learning, and AI. Through digital service deliveries and other online methods, law practitioners can broaden their reach to include other clients who may not be in the same vicinity.
For bigger firms, legal tech solutions can improve overall efficiency, while small to medium-sized practices can better compete in the field.
More importantly, legal tech can contribute to improved work-life balance for law practitioners. Imagine being able to reduce the amount of time and effort needed to perform monotonous work and other resource-intensive tasks. More time can be freed up, which can lead to improved well-being.
Will legal tech replace lawyers?
To be sure, there are downsides to relying on technology to accomplish various tasks that people were hired to do in the past. Let’s face it, technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated such that it can do work faster and more accurately than humans. With legal tech, contract review and research can be done with less human capital requirements.
An article in Techwalls notes that the technologies and software that we see today will need to be upgraded, replaced, or retired because they will become obsolete. This means that law offices will have to continue investing in technology in order to move with the times and stay ahead of competitors.
The article also emphasizes how more digital access can mean greater chances of mistakes, oversights, and hacks. As legal professionals use more digital tools for accessibility, file sharing, and correspondence, looming cyber threats could compromise valuable data.
Richard Susskind, “the world’s most cited author on the future of legal services,” believes that while some jobs will be replaced, machines and lawyers will work alongside each other. He says in an article in Forbes that tomorrow’s legal professionals will develop new ways of solving legal problems with the help of technology.
After all, the practice of law still requires a human touch. The wisdom, creativity, and critical thinking honed by a legal professional’s years of experience cannot easily be replaced by a machine.
Technology transforming workplaces
Indeed there is a growing awareness of the impact of technology on the practice of law. Processes can be better managed and streamlined with the help of tech platforms, which enable law practitioners to offer legal services more efficiently.
There’s no doubt that technology will be transforming workplaces inside out. With digitalisation and automation impacting the future of work, legal professionals need to be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to apply legal tech.
To thrive in this new environment, you need to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of legal tech and how to implement it in your own practice. Join SMU Academy’s Graduate Certificate in Law and Technology so you can learn to identify and face challenges and opportunities in the world of legal tech. Find out more about the course here.
