REEXAMINE CHANGE MANAGEMENT AS AN EXERCISE IN EMPOWERMENT
Change management is no longer about switching tools or updating policies. It is a fundamental constant of law firm operations and requires a unique combination of talent, experience and resilience to promote shifts seamlessly. Changemakers approach this process differently and often combine proven techniques to enhance their efforts. Some focus on communication and executive buy-in, while others seek out influencers and employ well-paced processes. Firm size and management structure also affect how leaders champion change. Understanding your style and its application to your organization is crucial.
APPLY BEST PRACTICES TO OVERCOME THE TRADITIONAL RESISTANCE AND CHALLENGES TO INNOVATION
To effectively drive change, law firm leaders are implementing it in manageable pieces. “The key is to start small and expand slowly while adapting the process for each group of users or use cases; prove that it works and continue to build on that proof,” says one respondent. “Introduce changes iteratively in small, digestible bites while continuously discussing them honestly; only when you discuss change transparently can you break down the walls and overcome the limitations,” offers a peer. On a scale of 1-5, with five being the highest, the participants' adoption rate of recommendations is 4.3, resulting from an abundance of trust, preparation and persistence.
PRIORITIZE TALENT
Half the participants cited talent above all other hurdles law firm leaders must overcome. “Talent retention is the most significant challenge; it is also difficult to align work habits between generations and manage expectations among workers,” says one leader, who emphasizes that the question about talent is closely related to the generational differences in styles and expectations. “There are younger generations of attorneys who are struggling to balance their expectations of work with the realities of it,” says a peer.
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY
Sixty percent leverage technology to enhance efficiency. They are committed to increasing productivity, strengthening security and empowering client service. “It is about staying ahead of technology, implementing efficiency tools and protocols, and fostering a culture where people want to come to work and enjoy their work,” says one participant. “The attorneys do not have the time to consider the technology because they are focused on their practice, but leaders think of how they work and highlight ways they can use it to serve their clients better,” notes another.
SHOWCASE THE POTENTIAL RETURN OF AN INVESTMENT BEFORE SEEKING BUY-IN
Skeptical by nature, lawyers often want to see the benefits before committing to change. “You need to make sure the ROI justifies the cost of new technology and fosters change among those who are fairly comfortable,” says one participant. “Attorneys need to understand and see the effect and value of a change to get their buy-in, so it is very hard for IT to persuade lawyers to use new applications in isolation as it needs to be relevant to their practice,” says another.
Automation is enhancing the ability of midsize law firms to increase their competitive advantage.
IMPROVE TRAINING TO BROADEN UTILIZATION
Professionals use tools they are comfortable with, so practical, recurring training offers a meaningful return. “We need to shift the traditional comprehensive new user training model to something more dynamic and timelier, but a cultural shift needs to happen for this to change,” explains a participant. “We can encourage those who are reluctant by educating them and making them feel more comfortable,” adds a peer. “There should be more peer learning; people learn in various ways, but they trust their peers more,” offers a third.
ACCELERATE AUTOMATION TO STREAMLINE TECHNOLOGY USAGE
Automation is enhancing the ability of midsize law firms to increase their competitive advantage. Fifty-seven percent automate document creation, 50% do so for email filing and 40% automate data extraction. While most law firms are trying to encourage and facilitate the use of technology through training, culture change and meaningful investments, they are simultaneously trying to eliminate the need for proactive utilization through automation.
GENERATE INTEREST IN GENERATIVE AI TO EXPAND USAGE
Thirty percent of the respondents reported using generative AI. Although most are conducting pilots, experimenting with limited uses of standard versions of ChatGPT or deploying the features built into the firm’s existing platforms, such as their legal research platforms, those efforts are likely to advance quickly in 2025. “The emergence of generative AI has not affected our approach yet, but I love the idea that it could and will,” says a participant.
MAINTAIN MOMENTUM ON ACTIVITY RELATED TO AI
The promise of AI is motivating leaders to take action, and changemakers are maintaining the momentum necessary to move beyond the initial uncertainty surrounding it in pursuit of true digital transformation. “We are investigating AI because we think it can help, but I don't think it is at a level where we can apply it to our workflow,” says one respondent. “It is too early to know whether generative AI will have the ability to affect knowledge management, and there is some fear of LLMs [language learning models] touching the firm's internal systems and leaking into the public sphere,” cautions a second.
SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE MORE DIRECTLY WITH LARGER FIRMS
Several participants highlight a potential sea change in the perception of midsize law firms and their ability to compete more directly with larger legal teams, particularly with the assistance of advanced technology like generative AI. “Midsize law firms must overcome the impression that they are mom-and-pop firms and raise rates in ways that are consistent with their peers; as a multi-practice firm, there is a lot of opportunity for midsize law firms to compete for work that larger firms have historically performed,” says a leader.
Midsize law firms are likely to shift the state of innovation in 2025. The levers of growth available to drive transformation, the power of technology to support that effort with generative AI and automation, and the leadership necessary to enhance value represent the opportunities for changemakers to navigate a dynamic road ahead.
