18 Types of Legal Tech All Legal Professionals Should Understand

The practice of law is undergoing a tectonic shift. Being a lawyer these days is as much about being a businessperson, project manager, salesperson—and yes tech expert—as it is about writing motions and negotiating contracts. This shift isn't leaving anyone untouched. We all see it, and we are all figuring out what it means for each of us.

But change is hard, especially for lawyers. And especially when it comes to technology.

Yes, know how to use basics like Westlaw. But be familiar with new legal research platforms like Casetext and Ross that approach research in new ways. They don't handle legal research like other platforms, and you will find new tools that you might like better. Each of these platforms has also been shown to turn up different results using the same terms.

Legions of tech tools help lawyers keep data secure these days—whether it be file encryption programs, file security programs, or password vaults. Get familiar with the options you have for securing your files, communications, and even your video conferences.

Even if you aren't a litigator, e-discovery tools can extract and sift through vast amounts of data. Some e-discovery platforms give you visual insights and analytical data which can assist in identifying trends, locating critical information, and viewing data from various perspectives. And if you work as a litigator, e-discovery platforms can assist in sorting documents, generating privilege logs, organizing exhibit lists, and performing various other tasks.

Many legal orgs use document management platforms: Systems designed to assist in managing document versioning, storage, and security. These platforms offer significant benefits for every lawyer, and even if you do not use one, you can create your own system using simple tools such as Airtable or even an Excel spreadsheet connected to a database.

PDFs are a core lawyering tool. Nearly everything gets PDFed in our line of work, whether it be a financial document, a filing, or any other document shared externally. The market is flooded with PDF editors, with powerhouses such as Adobe (the company that created PDFs) and Nuance leading the pack. Ensure that you choose a tool with the necessary features and invest time in mastering at least the basics.

Legal tech companies specializing in analytics have emerged throughout the sector in recent years. These tools assist in extracting valuable information from data. For example, predictive judicial analytics can provide insights into the tendencies of specific judges when ruling on certain types of motions or matters. Attorney analytics can perform a similar function but for attorneys. And many legal organizations are now investing in their own legal analytics: Extracting a wide range of valuable insights from the data within their systems.

Practice management platforms are becoming standard in many firms and legal organizations. These platforms manage all the data and information associated with a case, matter, client, or your entire practice. They provide you with rapid access to high-level information, such as the amount of time billed on specific cases or budgets for similar matters.

No matter your practice area, you should understand the basics of how the workings of e-filing and court dockets. You never know when you might need to file something or, at the very least, look up a case for a client.

Knowledge management is one of the most powerful yet underused tech tools. It assists in organizing previous work product, research, contacts, and other information, making it easily accessible when needed in the future. Invest in this tool now, and you will thank yourself again and again.

Numerous companies create tools for aiding companies and lawyers in managing risk and identifying compliance problems. These tools can assist in identifying risks in contracts, regulations, and more.

This is one of the hottest areas of legal tech. Emerging contract tools can analyze contracts to identify weaknesses, generate template contracts, and even pull from databases of vetted contract terms. The potential time savings for in-house and transactional attorneys are significant.

Tools like Docket Alarm can manage all your case deadlines and even calculate due dates based on the rules of a court.

Tracking time is critical, even for folks who don't charge by the hour. That is because time is a valuable asset for every lawyer. The more productive and efficient you are, the more things you can do. But tracking time is also a hassle. Tools can assist in automatically tracking your time by monitoring your activities on your devices. They can even automate the process of describing your time.

Trial presentation software can make an impression on judges, juries, and even clients for litigators. These platforms organize and present evidence such as documents, images, and videos, incorporating impressive features like zoom capabilities.

Document automation can save you hours on any work product you create. Moreover, exciting new platforms are pushing the boundaries of automation. Compose, for example, can draft simple motions for you in a handful of clicks.

Artificial intelligence gets constant hype and has for years, but folks disagree about what it means. The most helpful definition is probably something like tech that is so sophisticated it manages to mimic some complex tasks that humans typically handle in terms of understanding or processing. But understand that companies use this term all the time and it's often not very helpful when deciding whether the product can help you.

Machine learning enables computers to make data-driven decisions rather than being explicitly programmed to perform specific tasks. It's often considered a subset of AI, but again, it's probably best to focus more on what machine learning tools can do for your workflow, and give less emphasis to the buzzwords alone.

Blockchain is another area that has gotten endless hype in the legal world, some warranted, some not. Blockchain is essentially a process for verifying transactions that can occur without the need for an authoritative intermediary. Because the nature of blockchain makes it hard to forge or modify a transaction in the chain, it is beneficial for applications such as smart contracts.

These are just some of the exciting new legal technologies that are changing the way we practice. Start investing in the ones you need now! They'll pay dividends over your entire legal career.