Technology

When Generations Butt Heads Over Tech

Oftentimes, this divide -- caused by generational rifts, firm size, and practice areas -- can seem insurmountable.

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I was recently privy to a conversation that’s weighed heavily on my mind, since there was such a disconnect amongst its participants. During the discussion about the use of technology in law firms, a younger lawyer, whose solo practice incorporated lots of technology, and a more seasoned Biglaw lawyer seemingly disagreed about, well, everything.

At least, that’s how it seemed at first glance. But when you dig deeper they were really saying the same thing, but were speaking different languages, colored in large part by the generational divide that separated them.

For example, when the younger lawyer, let’s call him Mike, mentioned that he enjoyed the convenience of being able to work from anywhere, day or night, courtesy of his mobile devices, laptop, and cloud computing, the older lawyer, let’s call her Mary, responded by saying that client service is far more important than an attorney’s convenience.

Or, when Mike advised that he could access law firm data using a client portal and provide answers for his clients at any time, 24/7, even on weekends, Mary emphasized the importance of providing personal service by answering the client’s phone call, speaking directly to the client, and then handing the inquiry off to an associate to research the issue and provide a timely answer by Monday.

And, after Mike reported that he could access and work on cases from any location as long as he had his laptop, Mary expressed concerns about client security and noted that she preferred to work from her office in order to maintain confidentiality.

The unfortunate result of this conversation was that, by the time it ended, Mike began to second guess himself and started couching his statements with references to the importance of client service and security, as if he hadn’t been talking about those ideas all along. Because he had; Mary simply wasn’t hearing him. They were speaking different languages.

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Just because it’s convenient for a lawyer to obtain information or respond to a client’s inquiry doesn’t mean client service isn’t paramount. In other words, when it’s inconvenient for a lawyer to access information while off-site, client service suffers. The lawyer is unable to provide an answer to the inquiry, the client is forced to wait, and the issue remains unresolved. It’s one more thing for the lawyer’s “to do” list and the client’s request for information goes unanswered.

Likewise, using a client portal for communication purposes does not equate to a lower level of client service. For some clients, presumably business clients like Mary’s, phone calls during office hours are sufficient. But not all clients are able to take a phone call during the day while at work, which is when most lawyers make and accept calls. For many clients, the ability to access case-related information and communicate with their lawyer at their convenience at a time that works for them is the epitome of client service. In addition, threaded conversations in client portals provide a record of what was discussed and what needs to be done. Much of that is lost with phone calls, especially calls taken by a lawyer who is not in the office.

Finally, using 21st century software and tools to access case files and communicate with clients does not necessarily diminish security or impact client confidentiality, especially when you use a reputable provider whom you’ve carefully vetted. In fact, in many cases, these methods offer a more secure alternative to more commonly-used communication tools, like email, which is inherently unsecure.

There was undoubtedly a disconnect in this conversation. Mary assumed that the technology used by Mike interfered with client service, presumably because she either had insufficient familiarity with the types of technology he was using or simply couldn’t envision practicing law in a way that was different from how she’d done it for the entirety of her career. Mike was using technology to increase convenience and access to information for both him and his clients.

From each of their perspectives, both lawyers were providing the best client service possible using the tools that were available to them. While Mary’s methods may be well-suited for her business clients, for Mike’s clientele, his methods undoubtedly worked best.

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Oftentimes, this divide — caused by generational rifts, firm size, and practice areas — can seem insurmountable. But when it comes right down to it, client service is at the heart of what lawyers do, all of these differences notwithstanding. And different lawyers provide great service to their clients in radically different ways. But one method isn’t necessarily superior to the other. As long as it works for you and your clients, then you’re doing the right thing.

So as you head into 2017, take a moment to reflect on the ways that your law firm provides client service. Is there room for improvement? What new tools can you incorporate into your firm’s workflow to provide better client communication and access to information? What steps can you take to be the best lawyer you can be in the coming year?

Niki BlackNicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and the Legal Technology Evangelist at MyCase, web-based law practice management software. She’s been blogging since 2005, has written a weekly column for the Daily Record since 2007, is the author of Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York. She’s easily distracted by the potential of bright and shiny tech gadgets, along with good food and wine. You can follow her on Twitter @nikiblack and she can be reached at niki.black@mycase.com.

 

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