Training Day: This Is One Reason Law Firms Need Intuitive Software

January 19, 2021 - Law Practice Management

Law firms have never been particularly great at onboarding of staff, including associate attorneys. I suspect that most lawyers agree that effective staffing is essential; but, most attorneys are so deep into the substantive work they do that they don’t prioritize training. At the same time, attorneys usually just let their technology wash over them, using what they’ve always used, while again focusing on their substantive work, and fearing the productivity dip inherent in adding new software. In law firm management, however, having the right technology and placing the right staff are inherently tied together.

Let’s take it as a given that law firms do not, and will not, allocate extensive resources to onboarding new employees. Let’s also assume that modern associates continue to be primarily trained in substantive law in law school, and that they are more comfortable with technology than their predecessors. As noted above, senior lawyers and managing attorneys very much prefer training new associates and employees on substantive matters of law than on the use of technology and processes. The situation sets up as a perfect storm for law firms to ease the introduction of new personnel by utilizing intuitive software, which their employees can (by and large) figure out themselves, while focusing on what they do well: substantive legal training over the long haul. If law firms use the right software, they can empower their employees to help develop effective operational procedures.

So, it turns out that law firms using intuitive, modern software can ease their training burdens. But, while that reduces time spent in the training process, it requires law firms to more effectively vet the tools they offer their employees for ease of use. And, that is a burden shift that most managing attorneys should feel comfortable with.

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The Wyoming State Bar offers free law practice management consulting services through Red Cave Law Firm Consulting.  To request a consult, visit the Wyoming State Bar’s law practice management page, and start running your law firm like a business.