Advantages of a Technology Savvy Law Firm
January 27, 2020 by Scott Addison
Why technology is core to the Lincoln Derr Advantage (a.k.a. – #LDAdvantage)
We like to win.
And we do what it takes to make that happen.
That means we study all the evidence, backward and forward. We learn the industry involved in the case. We get to know our clients and their needs. And we take advantage of a multitude of technological tools available on the market.
When we present a case in front of a jury of millennials, we use video to ensure we speak the language of a digital generation. We are available for our clients day and night with cloud-based systems that keep us connected from anywhere. We embrace efficiency and effectiveness for our clients by getting rid of paper and going digital.
It’s just who we are.
Technology has been core to Lincoln Derr since we founded the firm a decade ago. We are tech-savvy by nature. Before law school, I was a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, a programmer, a developer, and a server administrator. Our founder, Tricia Derr, is always the first to try the latest gadget on the market. We embrace the idea of walking into a deposition with nothing but an iPad, or of delivering closing arguments through a series of 30-second videos.
That approach is not common in the law. It’s an industry built on leather-bound books and legal pads. It’s a population of notoriously risk-averse professionals. As a result, innovation often falls to the wayside.
As a small firm competing with much larger fish, we didn’t have that luxury. We knew we had to be agile and unconventional if we were going to survive and grow. That started with two key initiatives.
First, Lincoln Derr, as an office, is almost 100% digital. We don’t print out 400-page documents unless absolutely necessary, and we don’t walk into a deposition laden down with paper. We digitize everything we can.
Second, we give every member of the Lincoln Derr team a technology budget. Each person can invest in the technologies he or she wants to use. We only ask that they report back on what they like and what they don’t, what works and what doesn’t. It keeps us learning and adapting, and that keeps us on our toes.
When we established our commitment to innovation, we didn’t realize just how many benefits we would find as a result. Going paperless, for instance, spares the environment, but it also saves our clients money. There are costs associated with printing thousands of pages of documents, and we’ve taken those off the table.
When we implement systems to improve our accessibility, we can better serve our clients. We’re essentially available any time you need us, no matter where we may be. That provides peace of mind, and in the midst of a lawsuit, that’s priceless.
And when we embrace new technology in the courtroom, we make the strongest possible case for our clients, in a way that connects with our audience.
Part of what we do as lawyers involve educating a jury about what the issues are, what they’re seeing, and what they’re understanding. As any teacher would tell you, the way people learn varies, and you’ve got to appeal to different styles to have the best chance at success.
Technology gives us that opportunity. It makes us better lawyers. It helps us win. And that’s good for us all.