Implementing Cloud-based Solutions for Legal Practices

By Prashant Kumar and Robert Takemura
MLC & Associates, Inc.

There is no doubt that the technology is a ubiquitous and essential tool that has grown in importance in today’s modern society. E-mail has often replaced letter correspondence; video conference calls are used to substitute for face-to-face meetings; tablets and smartphones are used for out-of-office work; and Virtual Law Offices (VLOs) have appeared as an interim solution between the traditional client-lawyer relationship and self-help web sites. The list is ever expanding. The challenge for the legal profession is to keep up with the escalating capabilities that technology offers and implement solutions that produce effective results.

Furthermore, every law practice relies on technology to perform day-to-day tasks. However implementing systems including cloud solutions (also known as Software As A Service or SAAS) based solely on the promises that technology offers can create gaps and process inefficiencies. Even in cases where practices believe that they have best-in-class capabilities, it is essential to properly plan, continually monitor, and review if technology is a help or a hindrance – or even worse, a vulnerability to the organization and its clients. As a result, it is vital for all law practices regardless of size, to utilize a planning approach that considers all aspects of the organization in terms of People, Processes, Facilities, and Technology.

Implementing Cloud-based Solutions