Reinvigorating business through a turbulent legal landscape

It’s a noisy time to be a lawyer. ChatGPT and AI, threats of recession – it’s enough to make any lawyer long for a simpler time.

However, in the noise lies opportunity, argues LEAP national renewals manager Alicia Boucher.

“AirBnB started in 2008, because the founders needed cash during a downturn,” observed Ms Boucher. “In 2008, its shares were valued at $0.001 each. By the time it went public in 2020, shares were worth $145 each”.

“It’s not alone. Microsoft was founded during the 1975 oil embargo, which triggered a recession. iRobot, the company behind your little vacuum Roomba, was founded during the 1990s recession – the last time high interest rates brought on a recession. Sound familiar?”

There are lessons from these examples for law firms of all stripes, Ms Boucher suggests.

“Those who embrace highly effective, proven legal technology like LEAP will improve their efficiency, enhance client experience, and access real-time data insights for better decision-making,” she posits.

“This positions them to handle increased workloads, scale their operations, expand their client base, and capitalise on emerging opportunities, ultimately driving sustainable growth and profitability.”

This is exactly what firm owners like Justice Family Lawyers principal Hayder Shkara do so well, she points out.

“He understands how technology can help him work effectively, and he’s mastered the human skills – strategy, client care, marketing – to help him grow,” she identifies.

Unleashing clever marketing, useful legal tech and hybrid work

On reflection of how legal tech helps a law firm scale up – particularly in times like the present – Mr Hayder muses that, on the one hand, rising costs of living have led to greater rates of divorce and separation and an increase in business for family lawyers, but on the other hand we have seen a mass exodus of solicitors from the profession which has led to a number of firms finding it difficult to fill vacancies.

“I’ve always said that the backbone of our business is our team, and creating an environment that people want to be a part of has meant that whilst other firms are losing team members, we have been gaining them,” he explains.

“We are constantly scouring for the latest legal tech, and it has been instrumental in allowing our team to adopt a hybrid working model, and to work in a way that best suits them. Our family law firm in Melbourne works almost completely remotely and LEAP has been instrumental to making this possible.”

His rapidly-expanding firm’s adoption of this technology, Mr Shkara details, has enabled us to run our firm more efficiently which has led to enhanced client care and support”.

“Happier clients result in increased referrals and better online reviews,” he notes.

“Alongside adopting legal technology, we have recently expanded our areas of practice to meet the evolving needs of our clients.”

Of course, Mr Shkara adds, like any business, “we have faced hurdles along the way”.

“To stand out from the market, we had to develop a strong brand and reputation, build strong relationships with our clients, and offer an exceptional service that sets us apart from our competitors,” he says.

““To stand out from the market, we had to develop a strong brand and reputation, build strong relationships with our clients, and offer an exceptional service that sets us apart from our competitors,” he says.”

— Hayder Shkara

“Getting the right employees has always been and still proves to be difficult. I recall when I was hiring my first solicitor, I thought it would be a walk in the park! I quickly realised that I couldn’t attract the right solicitors that I wanted.”

This still is the case today, Mr Shkara surmises. “However, I must say it is a lot easier now that the size of the firm has grown,” he says.

Forget the tech and focus on the purpose of innovation – to profit from productivity

It’s important to avoid tech for tech’s sake, as Ms Boucher explained. Anyone can try a new tech tool, from ChatGPT and other generative AI to productivity tools like Notion, Trello or Linear.

“What we do at LEAP, almost obsessively, is to provide a productivity tool exclusive to law firms,” she proclaims.

“Because the end goal of productivity is simple: profit. To profit from productivity. To do work better than someone else who isn’t using a tool as effectively as you.”

By automating time-consuming tasks, simplifying workflows, and centralising matter management and client information, Ms Boucher continues, LEAP empowers law firms to efficiently manage operations, increase value, and deliver exceptional client service, driving their success.

“Through economic turbulence, those who succeed are those that use the best tools, designed to help them succeed,” she notes.

“That’s all LEAP was built to do.”

Upgrading technology and operations of 150+ year old firm

LEAP’s product, Mr Shkara says, have been integral to the expansion plans of his business.

“Our latest acquisition, Walker Pender Group, is a law firm that has been running for almost 150 years. As soon as we came in, we started upgrading all of the tech to ensure that we can last another 150 years,” said Mr Shkara.

“Our team ranges from people in their twenties through to those in their seventies and everyone agrees that LEAP is the most user-friendly legal practice management system on the market. LEAP is an essential component of our expansion plans because it streamlines our daily operations and allows us to manage our workflow more efficiently,” he says.

“I love RapidPay. I think it is the best feature that LEAP has and really has made my life as a business owner a lot easier. RapidPay has been instrumental in supporting our growth as we have been able to maintain our cashflow and ensure our billing is timely and accurate. Reminders, payment plans, receipting – these are all very time consuming activities that I now spend much less time on.”

In discussion of why having the right tech platforms makes such a difference for firms like his own, Mr Shkara notes that he is always scouring the internet for the latest tools “that will help us work better and faster”.

“If you are not looking at what is being developed, you will fall behind. The landscape changes daily,” he warns.

“The main edge it gives us is it enables law firms to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing employees and management to focus on higher-valuer work. This includes automating billing and accounting processes and document management, which can help to reduce costs and improve efficiency.”

““What we do at LEAP, almost obsessively, is to provide a productivity tool exclusive to law firms. Through economic turbulence, those who succeed are those that use the best tools. This positions them to handle increased workloads, scale their operations, expand their client base, and capitalise on emerging opportunities - as Hayder has done”

— Alicia Boucher

Safeguarding against cyberattacks, data privacy hacks and email fraud

Cybersecurity has never been more important for law firms, said Ms Boucher. Every news headline, she says, is of data privacy breaches, email fraud and cyber-attacks.

“We’ve heard of email invoices found to be fraudulent. We’ve seen criminals intercepting emails, posing as law firms, and directing clients to deposit trust money to criminal bank accounts. That’s why LEAP provides the highest standards of security with globally recognised SOC 2 Type I certification, ensuring confidentiality and minimising vulnerability to cyber-attacks,” she details.

“Through LawConnect and RapidPay, you can issue online invoices without using email. Both are exclusive to LEAP. LawConnect also allows you to choose who you share documents with, and revoke access whenever you want. It’s how we help you protect client confidentiality and work with confidence and clarity.”

Such platforms will remain critical for professionals like Mr Hayder, given that – in his own words – he has always lived by the philosophy that if one is not growing, one is are falling behind.

“However, in order to grow, we keep our operations as lean as possible, really focusing on two things – what is going to be a better experience for our team, and what would be a better experience for our clients,” he concludes.

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