Debunking the Top 5 Misconceptions About Legal Cloud Software

According to a recent study by the Cloud, SaaS, and Cloud Security Awards, 62% of people have 100% confidence in the capabilities of cloud software. However, while many people demonstrate this trust by regularly using the cloud for online banking, texting, streaming music and videos, and emailing, there is still hesitation in the legal industry to fully adopt cloud software solutions to streamline law firm operations. While there is always resistance to altering how things are done with any major change event, much of this hesitation comes from legal professionals having misconceptions about the capabilities and benefits that legal cloud software could bring to their firms. This article will debunk the five most common misconceptions about legal cloud software to help legal professionals better understand how the cloud can improve their firm’s efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

Misconception #1: Legal Cloud Software Isn’t Secure

One of the biggest misconceptions about cloud software is that it does not offer the security needed to protect client data. However, legal cloud software is the best way for law firms to secure confidential information and mitigate noncompliance and malpractice risks. Solutions that run on cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) have added protection measures like data encryption, multi-factor authentication, user permissions based on role, and 24/7 security monitoring. These additional measures are costly and nearly impossible for a law firm to implement if they operate manually or use on-premises software. Additionally, legal cloud software must be SOC 2-certified, ensuring that the software provider meets the highest level of security to help law firms fulfill their ethical obligations to protect client data.

Misconception #2: It’s Too Difficult to Train Staff on Legal Cloud Systems

Many law firm owners and senior attorneys are concerned that training their staff on a cloud system will take away valuable hours, if not days, of their time. On the contrary, the right legal cloud system should be intuitive and offer flexible, quick training options that allow users to learn when and how it is convenient for them. Cloud training options include in-person onboarding, on-demand training videos, step-by-step articles, a dedicated success manager, and live chat support. These options ensure that law firms experience minimal downtime and staff members can continue to focus on practicing law and servicing their clients through more efficient processes as they leverage the software.

Misconception #3: Legal Cloud Software is Too Expensive

The cost of any investment is top of mind for any business owner. While some law firms may feel that the cost of cloud software is more than what they currently pay, or higher than what they are willing to invest, the truth is that cloud software is significantly less expensive than on-premises software or operating manually. For firms that use on-premises software, in addition to the cost of access to the software, there are hidden costs of utilities to host the server, ongoing maintenance and support, and internal or external IT staff. Additionally, if data stored on the on-premises software is compromised in a hack or natural disaster, law firms can then face expensive malpractice lawsuits and missed business opportunities as their reputation takes a hit.

Firms operating manually already feel the cost of not implementing legal cloud software. It takes staff members more time to complete everyday tasks like creating new matters, assembling documents, recording time, and reconciling accounting transactions without software. Therefore, they need to hire additional staff members to balance workloads and miss out on countless hours of billable time that increase operational overhead and impact the firm’s profitability.

Misconception #4: Law Firm Processes are Too Complicated for Cloud Software

The legal industry is complex, and law firms face changes in rules and standards. Therefore, many legal professionals may feel like cloud software does not have what it takes to keep up with the complexity that law firms deal with daily. However, one of the many benefits of cloud software is that it offers flexibility to be configured to meet the needs of the law firm’s processes across several areas of law, jurisdictions, and staff roles.

Additionally, the right legal software will have on-staff legal experts that work on product releases and enhancements like court form updates to ensure that staff always have access to the most up-to-date content. Not only does this streamline time-consuming document management and creation processes, but it also gives law firms peace of mind that the software they use understands the industry and provides solutions that can support those continued changes.

Misconception #5: Existing Tools Can’t Integrate with Legal Cloud Software

The last biggest misconception about cloud software is that the existing tools that law firms use can’t integrate with the system. Instead of trying to fully replace tools like Microsoft 365 or accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero, those tools can integrate with cloud software to make the transition and adoption process easier. Additionally, cloud software can bridge the gap that these systems leave to create a fully comprehensive, end-to-end solution that all staff members can access from anywhere they have an internet connection.

Conclusion

While law firms may have been able to manage without modern systems in place, the last few years have shown how important it is to have software in place that will allow them to compete with younger, more agile firms and provide high-quality legal services. The only way to do this is through the power of innovative legal cloud software. While it may seem overwhelming to transition to cloud software, law firms can rest assured knowing that the cloud is a reliable, secure, and flexible solution for their firm.

As the leading innovator in legal technology for 30 years, LEAP Legal Software can help law firms embrace the power of the cloud with the legal practice productivity solution. Used by over 60,000 legal professionals, LEAP is the only productivity solution built to maximize law firm efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Firms that switch to the cloud with LEAP report a 30% increase in revenue by reducing overhead, eliminating inefficiencies, and improving law firm productivity.