Is technology a challenge or a necessity for the legal industry?

Isabel Cristina Torres Argaez

Baker McKenzie Assistant

It is unthinkable for us to think of a world disconnected from technology today. The penetration of technological tools into almost every aspect of life means that our lives depend, in one way or another, on the accelerated technological developments that we have been a part of in recent years.

Technology has been decisive and has driven the global economy. Technology has recently enabled many companies to survive and reinvent themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in other cases, for example in the legal industry, it has accelerated and strengthened the use of technological tools in everyday activities and interactions. Lawyers have found an ally in technology that allows us to deliver innovative, efficient and even automated solutions, transform our processes, and better identify, understand and care for our clients’ needs.

Compared to global standards, the legal sector in Colombia is particularly traditional, and one of the main challenges for law firms and legal professionals is to foster innovation strategies that allow them to reinvent themselves and challenge the status quo. A milestone in the field, Baker Mckenzie, as a global multi-service company, has adopted a global innovation strategy in which it currently delivers more than 100 technological tools and sustains the use of collective knowledge, such that it was recognized with the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Award at the 2022 Legal Innovation Awards. .

In Colombia, although technology and the so-called “legal technology” have penetrated the legal industry extensively, one of the main obstacles to the application of technology in the provision of legal services has to do with the paradigm shift from the traditional way. access to the latest technology by specific actors in the legal environment. In terms of procedural and access to the administration of justice, although the COVID-19 pandemic favors virtuality, there is still a significant challenge in terms of automation of judicial matters, a broad process that mostly continues traditional practices. the way to make the most of technological advantages.

The key to success in integrating technology into other sectors has been to accurately identify, understand and meet the needs of customers, and to offer innovative, safe and efficient solutions that should be a model in the provision of legal services. It is imperative today to design innovation strategies for law firms that consider the synergy between the human team and technological tools, and produce efficient and high-quality legal services that keep up with the pace of their clients, businesses and needs. developing

There is undeniably a long way to go in terms of innovation and incorporation of technological tools in the legal sector. However, it is noteworthy that the new generation of lawyers are increasingly interested and aware of the advantages and benefits of using technology in terms of providing legal services and applying the law.