Modern Law Magazine Issue 65

EDITORIAL
BOARD
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Minimising Our
Environmental Footprint
Julia Salasky
Founder and CEO,
LeglTech
Alex Holt
Director of Business
Development,
The Cashroom
In recent years, we have seen the
innovation of technology, as well as
the adaptation of working differently,
within the legal system. With the rise
of the digital world, technology has
quickly become a part of our daily
lives and with such an impact, how
can we make sure that we are saving
the planet in the process?
At Taylor Rose MW, we have
implemented changes to minimise our
environmental footprint.
Introducing a Digital Mailroom has not only
supported our vision of smart, modern law
but it’s also contributed to our journey to
paperless, and has created an effective,
agile working environment. Our personnel
have access to their postal correspondence
wherever they may be, allowing them to
work more efficiently, improving their service
to their clients. Extending from this, we have
partnered with Royal Mail to deliver a hybrid
mail solution. This is an efficient way of
sending hard copy post, allowing personnel
to use the integrated CMS systems to print
and send correspondence with Royal Mail
directly using the hybrid mail system instead
of a printer in the office.
We have also recently introduced ‘follow
me printing’ which allows our personnel to
log in to a printer and release their printing
when they are ready to print in house,
meaning no more abandoned prints and
less paper waste.
By utilising remote working technology,
we’ve enabled our personnel to work from
home, as well as introduced hot desking
to our offices. Since the pandemic, over
half of our personnel have started working
remotely from home, we’ve also seen a
decrease in the equipment that we use due
to introducing hot desking to the firm, all
of which minimise our carbon footprint.
We also work with suppliers who send our
electrical equipment for refurbishment
or recycling to reduce waste. We actively
encourage our remote working employees
to bring in any faulty equipment from
home to make sure all equipment is
disposed of correctly.
Our Marketing literature is readily available
in both digital format as well as print;
those printed are done so with suppliers
who work with carbon balancing initiatives
which work with the World Land Trust to
provide a more sustainable future.
By effectively implementing small changes
within the firm, they are creating a bigger
impact. We can see the effectiveness of how
technology can impact the environment in
a positive way and in the way we work more
consciously and sustainably.
Adrian Jaggard
CEO, Taylor Rose MW
The Core of Business
Process Automation
Every firm today is starting to grapple not only with
GenAI in the abstract, but in the future of law firm
operations and client services in particular. SaaS
applications -- from Microsoft to general business
workflow and project management tools like Notion --
long ago started incorporating machine learning or AI.
Over the coming months and years, GenAI can be part
of the technology stack of every SaaS application.
For this era of paradigmatic shift, though, that may herald less
profound change than some firms fear – at least not for now.
Rather, what we see is that this may be more a question of
considering the biggest problems that the firm and the firm’s
client’s face, and continuing to tackle those systematically,
using the best technology and human capital.
Operational processes, long under-looked or under-invested in
for many firms who have focused on delivering fantastic legal
services, may, ironically, be the easiest place to start. Ironic
because clients are demanding faster, cheaper legal services –
not better operations from their firms.
How important is it for
law firms to keep up
with new innovative
technology?
There’s a well-worn saying which I’ll paraphrase - if you
don’t adapt, you don’t just stand still, you go backwards.
Never a truer word, given the steady march of tech
advancement across the legal sector. There are new toys galore,
and not just technology aimed at law firms, but also the rise
of AI, and the influx of expertise from outside the legal world,
bringing world class business tech into play.
A good starting point is for firms to actually optimise and
properly utilise their practice management system. Far too many
have old and creaky systems which don’t give the resilience,
agility and security that more modern systems can provide.
However, even those firms who have traded up and obtained a
quality PMS often do not maximise the potential of the system
with proper implementation.
But the most memorable touchpoints clients – from individuals
to corporates – have with their firm are often the least high
value, from the point of view of the client and from the billable
time perspective of the firm. From requesting a cascade of
compliance information to requesting payment – these are the
touchpoints that cause friction and a bad client experience.
They are also touchpoints that slow down transactions, take fee
earner time and increase lock-up time.
At the same time, automating business processes can drive
better utilisation of fee earners, more profitability and better
risk decisions. Business process automation across key business
processes can lay the foundation for sustainable firm operations.
Technology is core to business process automation; and as
technology, like GenAI, becomes fundamental to the SaaS
applications that flexibly enable better process automation,
firms will benefit from the change in technology without
needing to adopt new tools.
Clients will continue to instruct law firms because firms have
the best human capital, provide the best risk mitigation, and
can provide the best client services. As technology improves,
firms need only continue to focus on the processes they want
to improve, and the problems they want to solve – and the
technology now exists to spoil them for choice.
Far too many firms continue to use vulnerable email to
communicate within the firm and with their clients. In these
days of increasing cyber threat, that really must be viewed as
a negligent approach. At Cashroom we developed a secure
communication portal to engage with our clients, removing risk
and creating significant efficiencies with the movement of data.
Our clients effectively piggyback on our technological advances
– in effect they outsourced the problem of tech knowledge in
the finance function area of their business.
For law firms trying to keep up with tech advances, the crucial
question should always be “Am I providing the best possible
service to my clients?” and the answer to that question can only
be properly given by someone who is keeping abreast of what
tools are available.
Communication and responsiveness are the biggest pitfalls
– the things that most often bring criticism from clients. In
the drive for 5-star reviews, one of the quickest ways to lose
stars is to fail in that area. As a judge for two of the most
prestigious legal awards, (British Conveyancing Awards, and
British Wills and Probate Awards) I see many submissions which
extol the virtues of innovation and the optimal use of tech, in
particular as it relates to interaction with clients. Happy clients
make for happier staff and repeat business as well as powerful
testimonials and reviews.
‘Automating business processes can
drive better utilisation.’
For the avoidance of doubt, I’m not suggesting firms should
throw caution to the wind and go for every shiny new gadget
in town. What I am saying is that every firm needs to keep
themselves informed about tech innovation, because they can
be sure their potential clients and competitors will be doing.
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