Nearly eight-in-10 Canadian legal professionals say their industry is overdue for a digital transformation and the vast majority recognize the many benefits cloud-based solutions provide when it comes to practice management, client service and operational efficiency, according to a new survey among members of the Angus Reid Forum commissioned by global legal software provider Dye & Durham.
The national survey found that 87% of respondents have adopted new digital tools to operate in the COVID-19 remote work environment, and 79% say they plan on continuing to use these products going forward. In addition, the vast majority of those surveyed (83%) agree that implementing cloud-based software solutions increases productivity and operational efficiency across their firms.
“The pandemic accelerated the pace at which law firms have embraced new digital tools, and we anticipate this trend to continue even as employees begin heading back into the office,” said Dye & Durham Canada President Dennis Barnhart. “Using cutting-edge software and cloud-based technology enables lawyers and their teams to accomplish more in less time while reducing manual paperwork and the potential for costly errors. That frees up time for pursuing high-value growth strategies and new market and service expansion.”
While many industries have gone paperless, the legal profession is often viewed as a laggard in this regard. Despite this, 70% of legal professionals anticipate going paperless this year, 75% say it will take two to three years, and 85% expect to do so in the next five to 10 years. When adopting new digital solutions, upskilling and training staff was one of the top challenges for 51% of respondents. Firms vary on how they train their staff, with most reporting they rely on a combination of their technology provider, their IT department and, to a lesser extent, external consultants.
“About 42% of respondents noted they have cybersecurity concerns when it comes to using cloud-based digital tools,” said Dye & Durham Chief Information Officer John Sulja. “Protecting our customers’ data is a top priority for us, and that is why we are continuously investing in the security of our platforms. This includes partnering with cybersecurity experts to constantly evaluate and improve our defence posture to ensure we are providing best-in-class protection.”
The survey also found that 50% of respondents prefer purchasing their cloud-based solutions from a single provider, compared to 14% who prefer multiple providers. “Lawyers want ease of purchase, ease of use and ease of support, all in one place,” Barnhart said. “We’ve seen this reflected in the enthusiastic response to our real estate software bundles in Canada, as well as a number of our other products globally.”
About Angus Reid Forum Surveys
These are the findings of a survey conducted by Dye & Durham from March 24th to March 31st, 2022, with a representative sample of 200 legal professionals across Canada who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The objective of the survey was to gauge the attitudes and perceptions of legal professionals towards the digitization of the legal profession.
The precision of Angus Reid Forum online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/- 6.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
About Dye & Durham
Dye & Durham Limited is a leading provider of cloud–based software and technology solutions designed to improve efficiency and increase productivity for legal and business professionals. Dye & Durham provides critical information services and workflows, which clients use to manage their process, information and regulatory requirements. The Company has operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, and has a strong blue-chip customer base that includes law firms, financial service institutions, and government organizations.
About the Angus Reid Forum
The Angus Reid Forum is Canada’s most well-known and trusted online public opinion community consisting of engaged residents across the country who answer surveys on topical issues that matter to all Canadians.
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