Conservatism among law practitioners

Is that really the case? If you approach the issue more carefully, it becomes clear that it is not. The concept of “conservative” is broader. In general, this is the name of those lawyers who refrain from using various innovations in their work. Conservative specialists are accustomed to performing tasks using traditional means and are reluctant to use modern technologies. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Let’s look at the situation from two sides.

Why do some lawyers remain conservatism?

The reasons for this are several factors. Let’s try to list some of them. Conservatism is chosen because of such arguments:

• when the implementation of legal tech technologies is too expensive, and it is easier to hire more lawyers;
• when lawyers work in a country where there is a small market for legal services; 
• when the lawyer as a whole is skeptical about the use of modern technologies.

Study each of these points in detail. It will be apparent that conservatism is either a personal choice of a lawyer or an economically sound decision. A specialist often does not mind using modern technologies in his work. Still, there are no resources or opportunities for this.

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When we consider conservatism as a legal industry phenomenon, we must consider the specifics of the specialists themselves. Historically, lawyers have been reluctant to incorporate technology into their work.

This is especially true for those countries where the legal services market is not large and does not have strong development. Another obstacle that stops innovation in the legal field is the high cost of its implementation. Sometimes companies hire specialists who work in traditional ways and will not spend money on new technologies. At least from the point of view that this is an entirely new approach to work, and it is not known whether the costs will pay off. 

Benefits of conservatism

For many conservative lawyers, technology is taboo because they are afraid. This lies in the fact that technology can replace a lawyer and force him out of work. In fact, conservatives often love their job and strive to do it well. They are not prepared to trust automated systems enough to allow them to do all the legal work.

A conservative approach has a significant advantage. When a professional does the job, he can better understand the nuances of the client’s situation. A lawyer can also have legal intuition, which a robot cannot have. Indeed, conservatives are often just reformers who are used to weighing everything and finding balanced solutions in favor of efficiency.

How to offer innovations for conservative lawyers?

The following should be remembered when it comes to the personal approach of lawyers who prefer conservatism. It is usual for a lawyer to critically perceive any information. For law professionals, change is only sometimes an easy path. At the outset, lawyers often need to ensure that new solutions are worthy of their trust. It would help if you confirmed the technologies were reliable and safe. That is why it is so important when developing any solutions for a law firm to consult with users and involve them in creating a product. 

Applying an innovative approach to the legal industry

We have studied the advantages of a conservative approach, but what are lawyers who prefer traditional tools in their work giving up?

You need to understand that the whole world is going through a stage of digital transformation, which in one way or another, affects most of the critical areas of human life. Relationships between clients and law firms also belong to them because they occupy one of the leading roles in the services market.

Good, working innovations are in high demand. Gradually, technology is becoming a determining factor in the competition between law firms.

There is a growing need for convenience and minimum cost with high efficiency from the services of lawyers. Therefore, it is logical that the winners will be those players who successfully adapt and apply technologies in their business processes in the company.

When we talk about introducing new technologies, it is essential to remind conservatives of one crucial part of the process. This is not a complete replacement for a lawyer at work. This is not an attempt to automate absolutely everything in a law firm.

Technology is just a tool that significantly simplifies the workflow for a lawyer. And if you correctly combine the advantages of a conservative approach with innovation, you can get a balanced and effective solution.

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