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As the legal industry evolves, client relationships with paraprofessionals are becoming increasingly important. In this blog post, we will explore how client relationships with paraprofessionals are evolving and the expectations clients have when working with paraprofessionals. Key points include the increasing role of paraprofessionals in in-house legal departments, the importance of being able to work effectively with paraprofessionals on both sides, and the inclusion of paraprofessionals in client service teams.
Here’s a summary of what we’ll cover in this post:
- The role of paraprofessionals in in-house legal departments is increasing
- The ability to work effectively with paraprofessionals on both sides is important
- Paraprofessionals are being included in client service teams
Client relationships with paraprofessionals are evolving as the legal industry changes. As Karen Tuscak, owner of Spider Silk Solutions, explains, “I think it started early on, It was around 20 years ago when I was working in house and I would send out a request to the law firm and the law firm would send it back to the general counsel and I would send out, and it was indicative that lawyers and law firms thought they needed to always deal with the general counsel at in-house departments.”
As in-house legal departments are increasingly staffing themselves with paraprofessionals, lawyers at law firms need to adapt to taking instructions from paraprofessionessionals as well. Karen notes, “Our general counsel said, look, Karen decides where the work’s going, so unless you correspond with her, you’re not getting the work. And I think that’s happening more and more because not only are our external clients reaching out to law clerks and paralegals at firms, but more in-house legal departments are staffing themselves with paralegals and the lawyers at the firms have to get used to the fact that they may be taking instructions from paralegals, right? Not always from a lawyer.”
The ability to work effectively with paraprofessionals on both sides is becoming increasingly important. As Karen states, “I train it both ways. Like I said, it’s one thing, delegating to them in a law firm, and it’s your E&O insurance, but it’s another thing when you have to take instructions from them as well and you really need to be good on both sides. Paraprofessionals are so detail driven and experts in the processes of what we do.”
Watch the full interview, Client Relationships with Paraprofessionals: Evolving Expectations
In addition to the increasing role of paraprofessionals in in-house legal departments, clients are also beginning to include paraprofessionals in client service teams. As Karen says, “When you look at new RFPs that are coming into law firms, they’re asking who are the paraprofessionals that are gonna be on our client services team? And that’s a real shift, right.”
In conclusion, client relationships with paraprofessionals are evolving as the legal industry changes. The increasing role of paraprofessionals in in-house legal departments and the inclusion of paraprofessionals in client service teams are changing the expectations clients have when working with paraprofessionals. Lawyers at law firms need to adapt to working effectively with paraprofessionals on both sides in order to meet these changing expectations.
Influencing change in law firms can be a challenging task, particularly when it comes to the adoption of new technology. In this blog post, we will explore the role of paraprofessionals and legal professionals in driving change and ensuring successful adoption of new technology. Key points include training, the “train the trainer” approach, and involving key stakeholders in the decision-making process.
- Training is key to successful adoption of new technology
- “Train the trainer” approach involves key people within the firm learning new technology and training others
- Involving key stakeholders, such as partners, in the decision-making process can ensure support for new technology
Influencing change in a law firm can be a challenging task, particularly when it comes to the adoption of new technology. However, the role of paraprofessionals and legal professionals in driving change and ensuring successful adoption of new technology is crucial.
One strategy for influencing change is training. As Karen Anderson, Corporate Services Manager at Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP, explains, “the process of getting there was democratic and it mainly involved paralegals from all of our offices because the firm had an understanding that these are the folks that are using this technology going forward.”
Watch the full interview, Influencing Change in Law Firms: The Role of Paraprofessionals and Legal Professionals
Another strategy is the “train the trainer” approach, where key people within the firm learn new technology and train others. Karen explains, “key people in our firm that are learning a lot of the stuff and then training other people within the group. And it really just keeps evolving, but the driver is the paralegal use it, and lawyers can enjoy read-only access to all of these records. As can the clients.”
It is also important to involve key stakeholders, such as partners in the decision-making process. As Karen Tuschak, former National Director at Dentons and now onwner at Spider Silk Solutions, explains, “One of the things that we did at Dentons was the paralegals were definitely the drivers of the new technology and what we wanted. But we did have a partner committee as well, just so there was support at that upper level.” By involving key stakeholders in the decision-making process, it ensures that they are aware of the benefits of new technology and can support its adoption.
Involving paraprofessionals in the process of change is also a great way of getting buy-in and support from the legal team, as they are the ones that will be using the technology on a daily basis. Furthermore, having them involved in the training and the decision making process, they can be the drivers of the new technology and they can provide insight and feedback to the vendor to improve the product and make it more useful for the legal team.
In conclusion, training, the “train the trainer” approach, and involving key stakeholders in the decision-making process are crucial for influencing change and ensuring successful adoption of new technology in law firms. By involving paraprofessionals in the process, legal teams can benefit from the adoption of new technology and can provide feedback to vendors to improve the product.
Some industries are ripe for modern technology, while others are slow to adapt to innovative solutions. Broadly speaking, the healthcare sector, hospitality sector, construction industry, and agriculture industry are some of the largest sectors of the economy with the least adoption rates of modern technology.
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You could argue that the legal community, while not quite as rudimentary as some of those other sectors, also has a general case of technophobia. Law firms have relied on traditional workflows involving pen and paper or Microsoft Office files to manage client information. To this day, many firms still adhere to the old ways, potentially placing themselves at a competitive disadvantage.
It begs the question: what lies at the root of these technophobic fears, and how can they be overcome? What do legal professionals need to understand about how technology can simplify their lives so that it increases adoption rates? Let’s look into that and outline answers to those pressing questions.
Legal teams understand legal technology is a growing trend
According to the Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey, which was disseminated to 751 professionals across North America and Europe, the top three trends cited by respondents are:
- Growing importance of legal technology in legal workflows
- Managing increasingly complex information
- Adapting to new or evolving client needs
The findings show that 79% of survey participants cited these three key areas as the biggest trends impacting the legal industry. At the same time, only 36% of respondents believe their firm or organization is prepared to address these growing trends.
Growing client demand for tech-powered firms
In the same study, participants were asked how they evaluate a potential partnering firm’s use of legal technology, and what impact that has on their decision to enter into business with the firm.
- In 2022, up to 70% of respondents said that how a prospective firm uses legal technology influences whether they enter into a working relationship with that firm.
- The response rate is up from 41% in 2020 and 52% in 2021.
- By 2025, client interest in legal technology is expected to reach 97%.
This particular finding corresponds with other industry studies that show the influence of technology on business operations. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 77% of business owners admit they want more flexible options to access important files.
These findings should serve as a wake-up call for technophobic law firms. Clients want to work with legal professionals who support their desire for flexible meetings and file access management. Failing to incorporate innovative solutions could result in lost business and missed opportunities to boost Legal Recurring Revenue.
Why are firms reluctant to embrace legal technology
Broadly speaking, companies in most industries struggle to embrace technology out of fear that it will corrupt their use of data. Data lies at the heart of any effective business strategy. However, if that data isn’t clean or organized, it makes it difficult to interpret any insights and feed a business growth strategy.
When looking specifically at the adoption of legal technology, here are the three main reasons law firms are resistant to modern technology.
Mistaken idea that managing legal technology is very time consuming
In the legal community, time really does equate to money. Legal professionals are always looking for ways to increase billable hours so they can boost inbound Legal Recurring Revenue for the firm. As a consequence, many legal minds are under the misguided belief that every minute not used for billable hours is a sunk cost.
Unfortunately, legal teams that fall into this line of thinking risk leaving their operations less efficient and productive than they otherwise could be with legal technology. The amount of time spent on administrative or clerical tasks remains stubbornly high without an innovative solution to streamline all these laborious tasks.
Legal technology is costly and deemed too expensive for the budget
This is the biggest reason why firms refuse to adopt modern legal technology. Without a tangible economic benefit from investing in legal technology, firms don’t see the value in carving out portions of their budget for such investments.
When legal teams fall into this line of thinking, they forget one of the fundamental rules of any business: the cost of doing business. Any company must invest in certain expenditures to maintain and improve operations. Legal technology is one of those expenditures that pays off in the form of time savings and efficient workflows.
Concerns that legal technology will slow things down and create lags
Similar to the time efficiency argument, some law firms believe that legal technology will slow down their rate of operations. They worry that there will be lags in productivity, diminishing the firm’s potential for growth.
The counterargument here is that legal technology is designed to introduce efficiencies to established workflows. Rather than slow things down, legal technology actually speeds things up by reducing the time professionals spend on non-revenue generating tasks.
Why entity management software is the secret to overcoming legal technophobia
Having debunked misguided beliefs about legal technology, what is the optimal solution to improve legal workflows and overcome skeptical feelings towards legal technology? The answer is entity management software, which is designed by legal minds for legal minds.
Entity management software is a form of legal technology developed by legal professionals who represent law firms, legal departments, general counsel, and compliance professionals. It simplifies the complex aspects of entity management and streamlines operations into a workflow that’s efficient, relatable, and even fun.
Entity management software enables legal teams to create one centralized location for all client minute book records. The process of inputting, filing, sorting, and tagging minute book data is complete in a matter of minutes. This is in stark contrast to the time consuming administrative tasks conducted outside of an entity management system. Investing in entity management solutions will help your legal team, particularly your paralegals avoid feelings of burnout.
Teams that use entity management software save invaluable hours on clerical duties that can be reallocated to growing the interests of the firm. It also helps with talent acquisition as many rising legal professionals understand the value of entity management technology. Use your firm’s adoption of entity management systems in your HR strategy. This will encourage the brightest legal minds to join your team and increase Legal Recurring Revenue for your firm.
As the role of the paraprofessional continues to evolve, firms are recognizing the value that paraprofessionals bring to the table. Paraprofessionals are no longer seen as just support staff, but are becoming integral members of the team and are playing an increasingly important role in client relationship management. In this blog post, we will explore how the role of the paraprofessional is changing and how firms are supporting their teams in more client engagement.
In this post, we’ll look at:
- The role of the paraprofessional is changing and becoming more important
- Paraprofessionals are playing an increasing role in client relationship management
- Firms are recognizing the value that paraprofessionals bring to the table
- Firms are supporting their teams in more client engagement
Paraprofessionals are becoming the main point of contact for clients and are often the first point of contact for new mandates. They are also playing a crucial role in setting up fixed-fee mandates and cost-efficient solutions for clients. This shift in the role of paraprofessionals is changing the business model for firms and is becoming an important factor in the battle for talent.
Watch the full interview, Collaboration and Communication: Best Practices for Legal Technology Partnerships
Firms are supporting their teams in more client engagement by providing professional development programs specifically designed for paraprofessionals. This not only helps to attract and retain top talent but also helps to create a better work-life balance for employees. By providing stretch opportunities and development opportunities, firms can retain the valuable talent that they already have in the door.
In conclusion, the role of the paraprofessional is changing and becoming more important as firms recognize the value that they bring to the table. Firms are supporting their teams in more client engagement and are providing professional development programs specifically designed for paraprofessionals. By providing stretch opportunities and development opportunities, firms can retain the valuable talent that they already have in the door and attract top talent in the future.
When it comes to implementing new technology in a law firm, the partnership between the firm and the technology vendor is crucial for success. But what makes for a successful partnership? In a recent forum, Karen Tuschak and Karen Anderson, both legal technology experts, discussed the best practices for vendors working with law firms and what firms value most in these partnerships.
Here’s a summary of what we’ll cover in this post:
- Firms value true partnerships with technology vendors, where there is a collaboration and open communication about product development and roadmap.
- Vendors should be responsive to all team members within a law firm and listen to their feedback on how the technology is being used.
- A long-term relationship between the firm and vendor is more beneficial than a quick sale.
When working with third-party partners, law firms need to ensure that they are being listened to and included in the development of the technology they are using. Karen Tuschak, owner of Spider Silk Solutions, stresses the importance of true partnerships between firms and vendors, where there is open communication and collaboration on product development and roadmaps.
Watch the full interview, Collaboration and Communication: Best Practices for Legal Technology Partnerships
“Firms are putting innovation into their strategic plans and if they’re doing that, they need to be partnering with the technology partners,” Karen said. “The technology partners really need to make sure that they’re listening to their clients and they’re open about their roadmap.”
Karen Anderson, Manager of the Corporate Services Department at Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP, agrees that listening to the firm’s needs and being responsive to all team members is crucial for a successful partnership. “I think if they’re listening to all of the team members and responsive to all of the team member does, it doesn’t necessarily have to be me that’s contacting somebody. If anybody on the team can contact the vendor orpartner at any time and get a response and help, then I think that’s very valuable,” she said.
Both Karens emphasized that a long-term relationship between the firm and vendor is more beneficial than a quick sale. “Working with them hopefully for years to come is important. Companies want their software to be sticky so that the law firms continue to use it and it’s all built on the relationships,” Karen Tuschak said.
In a legal technology landscape that is constantly evolving, effective partnerships between law firms and vendors are essential for the successful implementation and continued use of new technology. By prioritizing communication and collaboration, vendors can ensure that they are providing the best possible service to their clients and meeting their needs.
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as essential components of sustainable business practices. Maintaining effective DEI policies are part of corporate governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) agendas that help legal entities operate in legal, ethical, and responsible manners.
Globally, organizations are fostering more diverse and inclusive work environments. This is a strategic decision as much as a social commitment to live up to society’s expectations regarding innovation, decision-making, and overall performance.
One of the main ways to ensure DEI policies are met and maintained is through proper reporting on how the policies are implemented. Entity management software is one of the best resources to effectively track DEI policies, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals for the organization.
Let’s explore that special intersection between corporate DEI reporting and entity management software. Specifically, let’s uncover how entity management platforms help corporate entities monitor ESG objectives to enforce more diversity and inclusion across the company, including at the board of directors level.
Understanding Corporate Reporting Obligations on DEI:
With increased scrutiny from stakeholders, investors, and regulatory bodies, companies are under mounting pressure to disclose their efforts and progress regarding DEI initiatives. Various jurisdictions have introduced reporting requirements to encourage transparency and accountability in this area.
For instance, Nasdaq’s proposed listing rule requires companies to have at least two diverse directors, or provide an explanation for non-compliance. Effective reporting of these obligations requires robust mechanisms for tracking and monitoring how DEI policies are adhered to throughout Nasdaq’s entire corporate umbrella.
The Role of Entity Management Software in DEI reporting
Responsible governance and effective DEI reporting require legal oversight to maintain compliance with proper regulatory authorities. That’s why a system that’s built by legal professionals for legal professionals is the best way to maintain accurate reports and promote DEI policies to support ethical governance.
Entity management software is a powerful resource designed to streamline corporate governance processes. These solutions are built with oversight from compliance officers to ensure the proper protocols are followed. Entity management software has developed into a valuable solution to enforce DEI policies, establish corporate governance protocols, and maintain compliance with the laws.
Software like MinuteBox enables organizations to centralize and automate data collection, analysis, and reporting. These solutions deliver a comprehensive view of corporate diversity, inclusion, and oversight across the corporate entity. By integrating DEI metrics with broader ESG reporting frameworks, entity management software empowers companies to holistically monitor their progress towards sustainable goals.
Board Diversity and Inclusion: A Key Focus Area
Board diversity and inclusion play a pivotal role in shaping corporate culture, decision-making processes, and overall performance. By tracking and monitoring board diversity metrics, companies can identify gaps, set targets, and establish strategies to enhance representation and inclusion.
Entity management software simplifies this process by offering features, such as customizable board matrix templates and structured organizational charts. These features allow corporate entities to create and visualize their board’s composition, breaking down the members by demographic variables like gender, ethnicity, age, skills, and other relevant factors.
Compiling these records into structured organizational charts enables chief stakeholders to make board nomination decisions that shift the corporation closer to their DEI goals of greater diversity, ethnicity, and inclusion at the highest levels of the corporation.
Leveraging Entity Management Software for DEI Reporting:
So how does entity management software simplify and structure DEI reporting mechanisms? Here are some of the platform features that will help legal entities improve documentation, frameworks, and reporting of DEI requirements.
Streamlined Data Collection and Analysis
Entity management software automates data collection processes, allowing companies to efficiently gather information on board composition, demographic profiles, and other relevant DEI metrics. By standardizing data collection and providing real-time updates, the software ensures accurate and up-to-date information for reporting purposes.
Enhanced Reporting and Transparency
Entity management software empowers companies to generate comprehensive reports that highlight DEI progress, providing key stakeholders with transparent insights into the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. These reports can include visual representations, comparative analysis, and historical trends, enabling organizations to effectively communicate their efforts to investors, employees, and the public.
Mitigating Risk and Compliance
Non-compliance with reporting obligations on DEI can have reputational and legal ramifications. By leveraging entity management software, companies can mitigate compliance risks by ensuring accurate data collection, streamlined reporting processes, and adherence to regulatory requirements. This proactive approach strengthens the organization’s reputation and demonstrates its commitment to DEI initiatives.
Final takeaways
In an era where stakeholders demand greater transparency and accountability, companies must prioritize DEI and demonstrate measurable progress towards sustainable goals. By leveraging entity management software like MinuteBox, organizations can streamline their DEI reporting obligations and effectively track their ESG goals, specifically in relation to board diversity and inclusion.
This software empowers companies to collect, analyze, and report data, offering comprehensive insights into their DEI efforts and fostering a culture of transparency and continuous improvement. As organizations strive for sustainable success, integrating entity management software into their governance practices becomes an invaluable tool for achieving meaningful DEI outcomes.
Ready to help your organization implement DEI reporting protocols and take a step towards greater diversity, ethnicity, and inclusion? Join the MinuteBox revolution and establish centralized reporting systems that improve corporate governance and enforce compliance.
