The Pandemic Is Pushing—and Preventing—Law Firm Innovation
Attorneys may be ready and willing to innovate following the barrage of changes that have come their way during the COVID-19 pandemic. But with law firms potentially in midst of a very busy season, it may be harder to get dormant innovation projects off the ground.
August 06, 2020 at 10:30 AM
3 minute read
Innovation is picking up momentum in law firms across the country as attorneys struggle to adapt to the ongoing business impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But while lawyers may be primed to accept change, are law firms too preoccupied by client demands to capitalize on the moment innovation is having?
There's certainly an argument to be made for striking while the iron is hot. The Association of Legal Administrators conducted an audience poll during its "How to Plan and Manage When Change Is the Only Constant" webinar last week, where most respondents (74%) agreed that COVID-19 had made staff more willing to change their working practices, a flexibility that extends to workflows, the adoption of new technologies and new collaboration techniques.
Still, law firms may be too busy to fully take advantage of the potential window of opportunity being presented. Kimball Parker, CEO of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's tech subsidiary SixFifty, said COVID-19 may represent a uniquely busy time in the history of law firms, as lawyers across a variety of practice areas look to assist clients with surmounting a tide of pandemic-related issues.
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