When it comes to the legal industry, the stereotype that boomers are more tech-averse compared to millennials doesn't hold much weight, according to a recently released survey of international legal departments.

Released last month, the Association of Corporate Counsel's ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey  found tech adoption rates among millennial and boomer chief legal officers are similar.

"By generation, 48 percent of boomers are keen on adopting new technology solutions compared with 56 percent of millennial CLOs," the report noted.

Legal tech observers say the sparse difference in adoption rates highlights an overall acceptance of tech's efficiency abilities. They argue it isn't the age of the tech leader that dictates a firm's or legal department's tech usage, but a number of other unrelated factors specific to each legal office. 

Generally, the implementation rates of technology is steered by the organization's tech maturation. 

"As a broad statement, I would say millennials are more likely to individually be open to technology because they kind of grew up with tablets, iPhones or BlackBerrys versus boomers. It wasn't part of the early stages of their career," said HBR Consulting chief commercial officer Kevin Clem. "Having said that, [in-house tech adoption] is less driven by the age of the CLO and more driven by where the law firm and legal departments are in their maturity continuum and legal operations."

Clem said a legal department's size, region and work in highly regulated industries is a better indicator that a legal department will have a high rate of tech usage. For boomers who fill CLO roles, their adjustment rate to technology is highly individualized, but most adjust to their new responsibilities, Clem said.

Major, Lindsey & Africa managed legal services global practice leader Mark Yacano agreed, saying no CLO can ignore evolving legal service delivery models and the technology enabling it.

"You cannot be in that role and oblivious to the role of technology and how it is transforming how services are delivered."

Similar to the legal department, in a law firm it's not the age of those at the helm, but their focus that leads to tech adoption, Yacano said.  He noted that the chief information officer, or any role tasked with understanding what software can streamline work and provide workflow transparency, is a good indicator a firm is implementing technology.

"I don't think they all need to be technologists, but they need an ear to the ground to understand the possibilities for efficiencies," Yacano added.

Overall, Yacano and Clem stressed that tech adoption in a specific firm or company will come down to individual factors.

"We sometimes stereotype lawyers and firms as being change resistant and clinging to the old model, but I think it's very much a case-by-case study and the nature of the firm leadership and practice leaders," Yacano said.

Clem agreed, noting even with a tech-friendly millennial filling a CLO role, that doesn't lead to instant buy-in by executives.

"I still think millennials are more receptive, it's just there are other factors that tend to be directly correlated with the adoption of technology," he said. "It doesn't matter how open you are with technology—if you can't justify adopting technology, it's going to be tough to justify investment."