Legal Technology Journal

Welcome to the sixth issue of LTJ. It is with great pleasure that I am introducing my first issue as editor, taking over the reins from Charles Christian, a well-known specialist in both law and IT, whose popular website – and, of course, The Orange Rag – is an invaluable resource for everyone involved in the world of legal IT – including myself. Charles is definitely a hard act to follow.

As neither a lawyer nor an IT expert (I am a writer specialising in the legal and business sectors) I have embarked on a steep learning curve, and with the support of some leading lights in legal IT I feel that I’ve made a good start. Thanks are due to Karen Jacks of Bird & Bird, Andrew Powell of Nabarro, Steve Sumner of Taylor Vinters and Malcolm Simms of Eversheds for sparing the time at a moment’s notice to give me the lowdown on IT developments in their firms and to patiently explain the cutting-edge technology deployed in their latest projects. In fact, I was so impressed that each issue will now include a profile feature and I’m looking for volunteers…

A firm’s IT strategy needs to be driven by its overall objectives and priorities, rather than vice versa. In response to intensifying competition, fuelled by the spectre of the Legal Services Bill, the past year has seen firms of all sizes becoming more business-focused. They are gearing up their IT systems to meet current and future challenges, leveraging all their resources – and harnessing new ones – to gain and retain clients and win the war for talent. Superior technology is clearly both a tool and a differentiator, providing all a firm’s stakeholders – lawyers, business support professionals and, increasingly, clients – with speedy access to information, knowledge and expertise that enables them to work smarter, enhances their competitive position and reinforces their brand. For large firms, this means achieving the right mix of technology, processes and people to deliver a global strategic vision; but strategic IT also underpins the profitability and growth of medium-sized and niche firms.

This issue focuses on working smarter, with features and case studies covering topics ranging from infrastructure projects to invaluable add-on tools that improve lawyers’ day-to-day lives. We examine how outsourcing offers significant efficiency gains as well as allowing firms to concentrate on their core business. Not to be forgotten are two critical – and to some extent contradictory – challenges of the information age: client confidentiality and e-compliance. Derwent Campbell of Mogers discusses data security and Cynthia Jackson of Baker & McKenzie explores in depth the complexities of compliance with US electronic discovery rules.

Back in the UK, the recent bad weather has brought business continuity to the fore for IT professionals, who are turning their attention to disaster recovery, back up and storage as well as remote and mobile working. Although these topics are touched on in the case studies that follow, we look forward to exploring them in detail in future issues. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the magazine. If you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement, or if you would like to share any of your own project experiences, please get in touch.