The Race to Adopt Technology Risks Missing the Bigger Issue

There is no shortage of discussion about how technology is changing the legal profession.

Artificial intelligence, automation and legal technology continue to reshape the way law firms manage information. Firms are investing heavily in new platforms, refining workflows and looking for ways to manage growing volumes of data more efficiently.

For Mik Sharma, Managing Director of Law Image, while those developments are important, the key question shaping the company’s future is a simple one: “what do clients value most?”

That question took on greater focus following the appointment of Brad Gabriel as Chief Operating Officer earlier this year. With more than 20 years of experience in litigation support, legal technology and eDiscovery, Gabriel says his career has given him a clear view of what legal professionals expect from their support teams and, by extension, from specialist partners like Law Image.

After co-founding and leading LitSupport, Gabriel spent time working in-house and in private practice, including supporting the implementation of Relativity at Woolworths before moving into a global commercial litigation firm.
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A Different View of Growth

According to Sharma, Gabriel’s arrival brought more than experience. It brought a fresh perspective on the business and its future direction.

“When you’re in a business every day, it’s easy to focus on what’s next,” Sharma says. “Brad helped us realise that the things we were genuinely good at were also the things our clients valued most. We were responsive, understood what was required and were prepared to go the extra mile.”

While technology and new capabilities were often part of the discussion, Gabriel found clients consistently valued experience and the confidence that comes from working with people who understood their requirements and the pressures involved.

“Tying that back to our core services, we realised that while lawyers don’t print as much as they once did, the document sets they print carry heightened importance,” he says. “Whether it’s a client review meeting to agree case strategy, a Counsel Brief to build the argument or a Court Book that an entire hearing runs from, there’s no room for error.”

That reality extends across much of the business’s work. From navigating time-sensitive Standing Orders and court-specific requirements to supporting Royal Commissions and public inquiries, Gabriel says clients continue to value specialist expertise and attention to detail.

It also highlighted a decision the business made years earlier. As much of the industry expanded into eDiscovery and technology solutions, Law Image stayed in its lane. It remained focused on legal document production and building the expertise required to support it.

“When you focus on one thing and do it every day, you become really good at it,” Gabriel says. “That’s where we see ourselves delivering the greatest value.”

For Sharma, it confirmed where the business should continue investing. “It’s not about changing who we are,” he says. “It’s about building on what our clients already value.”
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Not a Nine-to-Five Industry

For Gabriel, one of the realities of legal work is that urgent requests rarely arrive during standard business hours.

“The technology available today is impressive and continues to improve. But when new material arrives at 5 pm on a Friday and a Court Book needs updating for a Monday morning hearing, clients still need people who know what’s required and can respond quickly.”

The business supports that demand with overnight production teams, weekend coverage and an operation built around 24/7 client support. For Gabriel, that commitment is reflected in the way clients are supported after hours.

“When a lawyer calls us at 11 o’clock at night, they get our Night Shift Supervisor, not an answering machine,” Gabriel says. “Someone who is on the floor, who knows the job and can give them a clear update on progress. What stood out to me was that the conversation wasn't about cut-off times. It was about what clients needed and how the team could help.”

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Building for the Next Phase

As Law Image looks ahead, Mik Sharma and Brad Gabriel see opportunities across the legal sector. The business continues to invest in workflow improvements and operational capability while remaining focused on the people behind those systems.

Gabriel believes innovation is most valuable when it supports better outcomes for clients and strengthens the service around it.

“The organisations that do well will be the ones that continue investing in new capabilities while holding onto the things clients have always valued,” he says.

If the past year has revealed anything, Sharma says, it’s that client priorities remain surprisingly consistent.

“For all the focus on technology, the fundamentals haven’t really changed,” he says. “Clients still want confidence in the outcome and people they can rely on.”