As law firms rethink their business models and evaluate how to deliver more value to clients in 2020, three major trends will impact how firms facilitate collaboration among their lawyers and legal teams.

Integration

Instead of standardizing on a single platform, law firms will push software vendors to integrate their offerings with existing applications and data.

While recent mergers and acquisitions at Thomson Reuters, Intapp and Litera Microsystems suggest that vendors are snapping up smaller companies to establish their credibility as "single-source" technology providers, a counter-trend has emerged in which law firms are moving away from single-vendor solutions suites. The new emphasis is on building more flexibility into existing systems and applications. After making major investments in technology over the last decade, firms have a better understanding of how and where technology can benefit their business. They are also more aware of the need to manage continual change and innovation in technology over the long term with a best-of-breed approach. That means leveraging existing technology where it continues to be a good fit and having the agility to quickly adopt new technology where it can provide real business value and differentiation in the legal marketplace.