Session 8a - IT for the large, small and boutique

IT for the large, small and boutique – business strategies and insights for technology investment to fit each of these scenarios.

The application of technology in the legal industry technology in Australia is now a highly specialised area of technology in its own right. Yet technology remains one of the most rapidly reinvented, capital intensive, incomprehensible and uncertain investments for firms.

What opportunities does technology hold for Firms and how can we elicit these? Do opportunities exist for comparative advantage in technology for Law Firms or has technology matured to become a pure infrastructure play - much like power and lights – and hence, not strategic? If so, why are technology vendors not grasping this and providing solutions that fit these scenario and why do firms consistently make key errors when engaging technology?

Can we learn from the experience of the mid-player firms? Their position is one of being large enough to make significant technology investments yet small enough to implement these systems in shorter time frames. This certainly yields the best returns in the industry. Or does it?

The Maddocks approach seems to bear this out. It is based upon changing the way that Fee Earners perceive the return from legal technology and this method can be applied to small, boutique or large firms.

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