Technology Part 1: The Cloud Computing Trend
Welcome to the JuraLaw blog! As a leader in the business of legal calendar management, this platform allows us to provide our insights and perspective relative to changes, trends, processes and innovations in the docket industry. Our first post initiates a three-part series on technology and how the legal profession has shifted direction in its acceptance and implementation into today’s law firms. At JuraLaw, we’ve been a part of this transformation and it started with our creation and deployment of the first completely web-based legal calendaring system.
In Geoffrey Moore’s famous treatise, “Crossing the Chasm,” he set forth the four types of technology adopters: 1) Innovators, 2) Early Adopters, 3) Early & Late Majority and 4) Laggards. Traditionally, attorneys and law firms have been considered laggards or at best, the late majority adopters of new technology. Taking such a conservative approach has meant sticking with legacy IT infrastructures. Being highly risk averse, law firms want assurance that a new technology not only works well, but works well for similarly situated firms.
Three technology trends that have finally been accepted by the legal industry, and JuraLaw has directly implemented into legal calendar management, include cloud computing, web-based legal docketing and mobile application.
As recently as 2014, the concept of cloud computing was accepted by innovators and early adopters but law firms were skeptical of its application. With time came change and today law firms want cloud computing products like JuraLaw for reasons ranging from security to time efficiency.
With headlines reporting hacking, breaches and leaks, cloud services have received a positive response as they appear to be more secure than a firm’s on-premise infrastructure. This was found to be true when recently, a large law firm was hacked and JuraLaw was unaffected because it was completely web and cloud-based.
No need for on-site product updates that typically necessitate downtime and interrupt workflow during billable hours. Cloud based products are updated without interruption and are seamless to the user’s work process.
Older servers and applications often pre-date mobile device trends and often lack secure support for mobile devices or web connected remote servers which supports the shift to a cloud option.
The cloud is also attractive as a way for law firms to shift the burden of backup, recovery and remote site replication to the vendor.
Cloud computing continues to expand as it migrates from adoption to optimization in all that can be accomplished through digital transformation technology. JuraLaw’s commitment to developing the products and technological services that facilitate the growth and development of law firms remains at its core. With the trend of cloud computing entering the arena of normalcy in law firms today, JuraLaw will continue to lead the way now and into the future.
