Project management software can help law firms deliver transparency and track matters that many corporate clients are demanding. But according to a new report from the American Bar Association, a lot of that software is collecting dust. Law firm professionals and consultants said many lawyers are sticking to earlier protocols that don't require project management tech or they are waiting for more user-friendly solutions. But even as they try to hold off, clients and an evolving industry may force project management tools onto them.

The ABA's annual "Legal Technology Survey Report," which was released Monday, found that out of 592 respondents, 27% said project management software was available in their firm but only 11% reported personally using the technology. Notably, respondents from large firms of 100-plus attorneys were most likely (50%) to report its availability, but it was firms of two to nine lawyers that reported using the software most often (13% compared to large firms' 12%).