Technology and Innovation in Legal Services

This is the third wave of our Use of Technology and Innovation Survey. This provides insights based on telephone interviews with 1,310 barristers’ chambers, Solicitors’ firms, other regulated firms (including Alternative Business Structures) and unregulated legal services firms in 2022.

The survey asks about the development of new or improved services and the introduction of the following 13 technologies:

  • Technology Assisted Review (TAR), which automatically classifies documents
  • Automated Document Assembly, which uses templates to generate documents
  • Robotic Process Automation (RPA), which automates repetitive tasks
  • Predictive technology, which forecasts data patterns
  • Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology, including smart contracts
  • A website with interactive features, such as embedded contact forms and case tracking*
  • Live chat or virtual assistants on your website, directing consumer queries*
  • Cloud-based solutions or similar for data storage
  • ID checking tools, facilitating verifying identification*
  • Electronic signatures, removing the need for in-person meetings to sign documents*
  • Cyber security measures, bolstering firms’ protection against e.g., online malware
  • Custom built smart device applications for clients, enabling consumers to access advice or updates from your organisation*
  • Video-conferencing with clients, removing the need for consumers to attend in-person meetings*

The technologies marked with an * are technologies which can make it easier for consumers or users to access legal services – ‘technologies for access’. It also asks about the drivers for and barriers to introducing innovation or technology.

The following key findings stand out:

  • The Covid-19 pandemic has been a significant driver of use of and increasing trust in technology
  • The most commonly reported impacts of new services have been more responsiveness to clients’ needs (94%) and reduced environmental impact (87%)
  • 61% of firms have implemented at least one of 13 technologies in the last three years and 58% have introduced at least one of the six technologies that can make it easier for people to use legal services (technologies for access)
  • Fewer firms have developed new or improved services in the last 3 years (21%) compared to 2018 (a drop of 7 percentage points)
  • The proportion of firms who agree that legal services regulations stop firms from using technology more widely has dropped by nine percentage points since 2018.
  • Alternative Business Structures (ABS firms) are more likely to be using seven of the 13 technologies we asked about

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