Getting IT right

Technology is a vital component of any modern legal practice. Raghavendra Verma investigates the IT solutions that are available and considers how they are best deployed in Indian law firms

Rajiv Gandhi, a former prime minister of India who paved the way for the country’s rise to prominence in the field of IT, said: “We need to befriend science and technology to jump to higher notches.”

The extent to which India’s legal profession has befriended technology varies considerably. While some lawyers can be expected to respond in a flash to requests sent by email, others are noticeably slower, possibly because their firms still use a single email account that is shared between all their professionals. Similarly, while some firms have employed cutting edge technology to manage everything from their information systems to their client billing, others rely on manual processes that have changed little over the last 50 years.

The varying levels of sophistication in the use of technology by Indian law firms raises important questions about a profession that is striving to meet international standards. “Technology is soon going to become a key differentiator among law firms,” says Nikhil Chandra, the CEO of Rainmaker, a law firm consultancy. “Law firms are going to be forced to focus their energies on deploying technology correctly to ensure more efficient service levels as well as to create robust internal systems, including knowledge-management systems.”