How Far Can Lawyers Go In Adopting Legal Tech?

The legal profession has historically been considered a conservative field and as a result, lawyers have lagged behind in adoption of technology. When Covid 19 hit, it sent a shockwave through businesses, and lawyers were not spared. For example, lawyers had to work from home and deliver results while at it. It was a completely new concept that set in motion a trail of Legal Tech innovations that would enable lawyers still deliver on their duties to clients despite the social and economic disruptions.  Lex Centre LLP, which had previously been a full service law firm is one of the Law Firms that rode the wave of technology and went all in to innovate and provide digitized legal solutions to our clients.

How far are clients willing to go?

Our client research indicates that while clients would still feel more comfortable knowing that their lawyer has an office and is well-established, they were willing to forgo physical meetings and transact digitally. And lawyers may as well adopt technology to meet this need going forward. Some of the Legal Tech solutions that have taken the industry by storm, and not just in Kenya but globally have included secure online meetings and messaging for lawyers. Legal workflow management and client data and file storage solutions have also become popular, since clients have become savvy about the storage of their data, and lawyers as well have prioritized cloud storage.

Enabling Legal Factors

In Kenya, certain factors make it a good time for Law Firms and Advocates to adopt technology in the delivery of their services. Key among these is the recognition of digital signatures as a valid method of executing legal documents. The Business Laws Amendment Act which came to force in the year 2020 recognizes dry signatures (electronic) as valid signatures as equally as wet (ink) signatures. The only exception to this rule is the execution of Wills and Negotiable Instruments like bills of exchange, promissory notes and cheques. This provision leaves a wide playing filed for lawyers to digitize and innovate, seeing that most legal documents do require execution at one point or the other.

Document automation has also been a key need for businesses that are looking to optimize the productivity of their employees. Lex Centre LLP specializes in document automation which can yield particularly significant results for paper intensive businesses like banks, hospitals and manufacturing companies. Once businesses automate their processes and manage the paperwork involved through digital systems, they end up saving time and increasing efficiency by avoiding human error and saving on labor and admin costs.

Factors that will guide the move to Legal Tech

While it is too early to say what lays ahead, we can make a speculation here on a few things that may be of benefit to Kenyan businesses and especially lawyers. First is that the Client experience will take the center stage, and Lawyers will have to make a review of their systems to make them client centered. Secondly, automation of legal services will give rise to virtual law firms and both advocates and clients will interact virtually to a great extent. Further, technology is a management and service delivery tool, and for technology to be successfully adopted in legal practice, then system security and data protection must also be a priority. Like every other business, the challenge is clear for the legal profession. Is the legal profession up to the task?

Written by Elixa on Tuesday May 14, 2024

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